Really?

This post is brought to you by Odious and Peculiar. Mr. P posted a badge which declared he wrote like H. P. Lovecraft - which completely suits him and is a great honor.

I gave it a go hoping the widget would not reveal that I write like a 2 year old or, worse, Ayn Rand. Secretly, I wished for greatness (and my favorites): Jane Austen, George Elliot, Dodie Smith...perhaps even modern like J. K. Rowling, Jennifer Weiner, Helen Fielding, or Meg Cabot.

The first paragraph I submitted yielded James Joyce. I thought "that can't be right" - there is no way I am that interesting. The next result was David Foster Wallace.

The third paragraph produced:

I write like
William Shakespeare

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Hahahahaha - yeh right.

I put in another - and WTF??? David Foster Wallace??? Then Cory Doctorow??? Is it because my paragraph contained the word "condom"?

I naturally tried another...and got Raymond Chandler. And then I did it again just for luck.

Stupid effing David Foster Wallace. So I am sticking with Shakespeare.

If I had to...

...write a "love making" scene for a novel, it would be like this:



but obviously in words. Brooke McEldowney also did a similar strip when Amos and Edna also "discovered" each other.



For the past few months, the comic has been Gran's flashback - her memories of what it was like being a spy during WWII. It has been great to read and I hope it ends happily :)



I have a sneaking suspicion that though she is with the Austrian opera singer (hand pictured above), he will turn out to be married or something because she ends up becoming O'Malley (which is not an Austrian last name).

Either way, it AWFULLY embarrassing when one finds oneself writing about sex. Neil Gaimon explained it best in his anthology of short stories "Smoke and Mirrors". He wrote a story that is rather descriptive and, in his notes about the story, he says it was difficult to complete - he would find himself writing, blushing, putting the story away for a week or two, and then returning to try to write another section only to find himself blushing yet again.

My discomfort in describing the topic makes me contemplate how and what I will tell my own child about sex. I will try my best to not stammer and blush. Perhaps the best baby shower gift would be someone offering to tell my child the facts (and all the options) because I am sure by the time my child is curious he or she will not want to hear it from me!

A New Year...

...and I guess it is finally time for a new post.

I just spent the past *hour* on itunes looking for songs.

Seriously - I can't get enough music. And I just got the new Squirrel Nut Zippers album for Christmas (Bedlam Ballroom). It is very good - little salsa style in there. Lots of fun to dance to in the kitchen while cooking.

I am also finding...that I like Amy Winehouse. Seriously - girl has a voice. I just might have to buy one of her songs.

And, I am also liking another version of "The First Cut is the Deepest". I have the Cat Stevens, but this other one I found is more interesting. I do not like the Sheryl Crow version.

And I finished watching Tess of the D'ubervilles. GO TO PBS NOW AND VIEW IT!!!

So good...I mean totally watered down, but REALLY good.

It did, however, make me scream not so polite things at the screen. One example would be when I yelled "HIT HIM AGAIN!". El hubbster told me to take a chill pill. And also when the hubbster asked for a description of Alec D'uberville (because he wondered in half way through and got into it and wanted to know more)
and I explained

***warning - my explanation is quite explicit. The faint of heart should look for the next set of ****'s *****

that he was a man who deserved "to be headbutted and then have his balls cut off."

I was told that my description was quite crass. Good thing I didn't mention how he should then be decapitated and his head shoved on a spike with the detached genitalia shoved in his corpsey mouth.

:| What?

Fine - I am being crass. Please forgive me. (though I refuse to edit this post - Alec D'uberville at least got his comeuppance).


********end explicit**************

And I saw "Doubt" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

:|

I had snow days - what else was I supposed to do!

Doubt was alright - I liked the cast a lot. Meryl Streep should be in every movie - she is AMAZING. And Amy Adams is made of awesome. So is Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I like how they let the movie be just like the play - it has a wonderful ending and it is true to the title.

The CC of BB was made of lame. First of all - I did NOT go to see the movie because of BP. No...see this post for why.

I went to see it because I love Cate Blanchet. Is she not gorgeous? And she can ACT! She made the film.

Otherwise it was just like Forrest Gump if FG was born old.

And I saw Quantum of Solace. It was alright - a bit of loose ties to be tied. Bond is...em. Well, Daniel Craig and Ralph Finnes are my only blond-blue-eyed crushes. *blushes*

Other wise QoS was lame. Daniel Craig was not at ALL.

So, I am also amused by the amount of fan fiction writing I have done - which is none! I need to work on getting it out of my system because I just have all these stories playing around in my head.

Which brings up something I have read - the LAST book in the Princess Diaries Series.

:(

I know - the LAST ONE!

I really like Princess Mia. I don't think I like her decisions in this book, but I really like her. And I am glad that it ended well. The lack of detail in one scene made me want to write PD fan fic! But I refuse since it would be like Ransom of My Heart, the romantic novel Princess Mia "writes".

Yes I read it.

:|

I read it and am affirmed the romance novels are NOT my favorite.

One thing about the last book I adored is how Princess Mia made out in a horse drawn carriage -- that was super cute (I am trying not to give away spoilers in case peeps reading this want to read it).

Oh, I saw Kill Bill (1 and 2). I like Quentin Tarantino - I do. But I don't like the violence...and the misogyny that is trying to disguise itself as feminism. I am disturbed that most females in his move are psycho, physically violent, and extraordinarily beautiful. It just isn't real life.

And as I try to separate the film from the violence, I find what is at the heart of movies I love.

I love interesting characters. I love REALLY quirky characters.

I like unusual plot lines where it is almost predictable what will happen, but then it takes a twist that leads to a more satisfactory ending.

I like stories that are true to the human experience. And I love little details that become vital at the end ('cause I pay attention to little details, but speak in generalities -- basically if I had to give a detailed account it would be TOO detailed).

So, Tarantino appeals to me in the plot. The characters - meh. But his plots are AMAZING!

Wow - this has been a random post - lots of reviews. I would love to hear others opinions in the comments!

D@mn you Gossip Girl!

Sadly, ANTM and Project Runway have ended and Masterpiece Theater has gone on holiday as well.

So, I have taken to watching whatever comes on television when I grade papers in the evening.

I have now seen a total of...2 Gossip Girl episodes and therefore do not get the overall plot line.

Anyhow, d@mn them - they stole a plot line from my fan fiction.

No joke - I had always seen Tobias Snape and Acacia Evans as having a thing.

Acacia (nee Sheppard) Evans is the name I christened Lily Evan's mother.

As I see it, during WWII, Mr. Sheppard (I can't remember his first name, but I have it written down) was a spy for England in North Africa. His wife and child (Rose and Acacia) fled London during the bombings to their country estate in North England - the village where the Snapes reside.

While in the village, Acacia Sheppard becomes friends with Tobias Snape - they become friends, they throw snowballs, report the coordinate of enemy planes to the wire service, etc.

But then Acacia must go to St. Ethelburga's School for Lovely Ladies and never returns...for her father is found dead after being tortured in Egypt for his espionage. She and her mother do not return to the country estate but chose to move back to London.

And where is Eileen Prince while all of this is happening? Well, she is in the same village, watching Tobias from afar, and, having gained courage as a gobstones protege at Hogwarts, she fills the void that Acacia left in Tobias heart.

Years later, Rose Sheppard chooses to return to the country estate to end her days. Acacia has grown up, become a doctor, married, and is working in India with her husband as part of the World Health Organization.

Only when Acacia learns of her mother's death does she bring her family back to the village.

And Tobias falls in love with Acacia again. And Severus falls in love with Lily.

And it is all down hill from there. Seriously downhill...what with the wizarding war, unrequited love, malaria, and some powerful memory charms.

At least this is how I envision it - I am sure JK Rowling has a less epic and melodramatic history of these people. And different names for them.

Again, this is how *I* chose to fill the back story since JKR has not yet released this information or, perhaps, even thought about it.

But I do because I have a flair for the melodramatic...and perhaps "fangirl" the whole Sev/Lily thing far too much for my own good.

Which is why I was so mad that Gossip Girl stole my plot line. I don't know who everyone is on the show, but here is the plot line as I understand it from my two episode and a few commercials knowledge of it:

The blond girl (really pretty) and the black haired boy (too small a nose to be cute) like each other, are possibly in love with each other, but she has *issues* and he has *issues* possibly, but not totally, about each other.

Whatever - they totally like each other and want to be together, but the writers of the show are keeping them apart for the drama of it all.

And to further this divide, the boy' father and girl's mother were once in love, a long time ago, and are now free to be together and the boy and girl decide to be apart for their parents' sake because it would be far to freaky to date the son/daughter of your mom/dad's boyfriend/girlfriend.

Whew.

Except the writers threw in some baby plot line that I totally do not understand - which was kind of cool, because some of the characters know the whole story and others don't and I got to be out of the loop so it was all a big mystery for me.

But the last scene in the train station I don't get - was their child put up for adoption? Or did she have an abortion?

I don't get it.

Whatever - the GG writers stole my plot line.

Except for the whole baby thing...and the requited love thing...whatever, same basic idea.

And they ironically (to me) named the mother Lily.

But I want to report that I came up with the whole thing first so that when I finally get my fanfic out there no one thinks that I am just copying the GG plot line.

I am perfectly capable of creating my own melodrama, thank you very much!

5 Random Things

In no particular order:

1. Harry, A History - This was a really nice look back at the past ten years of the Harry Potter fandom. I especially liked hearing Jo Rowling's point of view. Melissa Anelli, of Leaky fame, did an excellent job with this book. If you would like to borrow the book, let me know.

One thing that intrigued was a comment JKR made about Dumbledore losing Grindelwald, his former object of affection.

She explained that he just turned inward and remained isolated and academic the rest of this life. "Does that mean he as a one-hundred-fifty-year-old virgin? I don't know," she said softly, peering into her coffee cup as though he held an answer.

When I read this passage, the Sev/Lily fangirl in me quickly jumped to conclusions. Could Dumbledore's experience be similar to Snape's? It would seem possible given what we know of Snape from the books - especially since Dumbledore agrees to meet with Snape after Snape passed info onto Voldy...perhaps he saw in Snape a similar need to protect the one he loved?

Hmmm...I will have to think more about this. I would LOVE to ask JKR about how Lily and Snape felt AFTER they parted ways in fifth year towards each other. I can write my own conclusions, but I would love to know what she envisioned.

2. Lord of the Rings Directors Cut (a.k.a. "Deluxe Precious Edition")

Me wants it.

I borrowed the set of three DVDs from an HP meetup friend (super cool and generous). I am THOROUGHLY enjoying it - it has the full film, with effects and music added in, behind the scenes look at how the whole film came together, and commentaries by everyone involved (well, I didn't see the key grip's commentaries, but that is ok - really!).

There were many more songs in the original. Which is kinda cool because they are WAY shorter than in the book.

Small confession - I skipped the songs when reading the series. WHAT! They were a weensy bit boring to me...

Also, El Hubarino (LG) started watching it with me and I have to pause it every 20 minutes or so to explain the plot.

Maybe if he watches it a third time through, he will get the connections.

Then again, he did see it in the theatre the first time and could not remember if Frodo lives.

:|

Seriously - he asked me yesterday if Frodo lives -and he has seen these movies before!!!

The one thing the hubbster won't watch with me is all of the "Making of" features. I LOVE THESE - they make me want to become a movie craftsperson! I can paint things, and link plastic chain mail, and...hold a cord, or something.

3. Which brings be to TEACHING - I do love it despite above sentences. Teaching is never boring and you get better over time.

I applied to Seattle University, am accepted, and will soon begin studies to earn my professional certification (which is the same thing as a licence). It will take me a year and half to complete.

:|

So, I will be at my job for another year...I hope...

I mean...I hope I don't get the boot.

My principal seems ok with me lately, despite my goals meeting which ended ok, but I still had to call the hubbster in tears over it.

:(

Still, things are going ok NOW, and I have to focus on that.

4. I am making Christmas gifts - which is a lot of fun. My embroidered tea towels are getting MUCH better. I would post them here, but some of you might be getting them as gifts and I want them to be a surprise.

They are fun to make and the crocheted bags are coming along nicely too.

That is all - oh wait.

This just in -

5. Obama reads Twilight with his daughters.

Ew. Twilight is a piece of poo. Seriously - I have read excerpts because that is all I could stomach. In the words of Smegol, "It burns us!".

I am disappointed - but I guess nobody is perfect!

Why I Have Not Blogged Lately...

Excuses, excuses, excuses.

I am just plain busy.  The school year started and even though I felt I was ready, I certainly was not.

And it is not as if I have nothing to blog about...there is PLENTY out there to write about the world at large.

I just haven't created anything lately.  Which I feel is supposed to be the *point* of this blog - not just random rants, etc.

Actually, I did create something recently.  I made a very cute crocheted bear for a friend's new baby girl.  But beyond that, my needle has been hibernating.

I need to take pictures of the things I have finished them ship them off.  

But there are other responsibilities that I have and I don't have time to sit and write or take pictures and upload them.

I do have time, however, to surf around on the Internet and look at other people's blogs - go figure.

My fanfic writing has come to a halt.  I find myself so worn down by my day that I have not the energy to get going on my writing.  I think about those characters - sometimes.  Most of the time I have been researching.  My current research is British History.  

For example, the local Harry Potter meetup had a, well, meetup, at the Seattle Public Library book sale.  It was SUPER cool - I got 19 books for $19!  I even got Kate and Odious some books to replace their lost ones...unfortunately they were not the titles I thought they had lost. 

(Hand to God, I thought they lost a lot of Dickens, and looked at a beautiful copy of The Pensees and Possession and thought "oh, those weren't on the list".  I am kicking myself now.  But, if anyone needs any additional Dickens, I am your girl!)

As I was perusing the classics section and picking up massive volumes of Dickens books, I found a really cool little book called A Child's History of England by Charles Dickens.  I looked cool and seemed about my reading level/style, so I purchased it for the low price of one dollar.

Now, I did not know that Charles Dickens was a racist or I would not have picked up the book. Perhaps it is not fair to call him a racist - hindsight is always 20/20 - but what he writes is sometimes quite offensive.  For example:

It was a British Prince named Vortigern who took this resolution, and who made a treaty of friendship with Hengist and Horsa, two Saxon chiefs.   Both of these names in the old Saxon language, signify Horse; for the Saxons, like many other nations in a rough state, were fond of giving men the names of animals, as Horse, Wolf, Bear, Hound.  The Indians of North America - a very inferior people to the Saxons, though - do the same to this day.

When I read this, I exclaimed "Says who?".  The hubby was woken from his slumber (poor fellow) and told me to hush.  Still, I was not keen on reading further after Mr. Dickens here insulted my ancestors.  Dude needed to back up and take in the accomplishments of a people and recognize AND respect.  Just because they did not take tea at four every afternoon does not make them "inferior" - I seriously doubt the Saxons carried out tea while trying to prevent the Danes from burning their house to the ground (or whatever).

True my ancestors got kicked around by the US government and various other governments, but that does not make them a "very inferior people"! 

Still, I read on, because I figure it was worth at least a dollar to finish.  And I like all of the names - why Odo is not more popular in Britain is a shame.

So, this is how I conduct research for my fanfic.

I was tempted to purchase the $30 10th anniversary edition of the Socerer's Stone, but I am saving my money for Beedle the Bard.   All the new edition has is a picture of Snape looking a lot like Rowan Atkinson and new cover art with the Mirror of Erised.

If you are wondering what all the links are about, check out this site.  I *really* like this cartoonist - and he is vegan!

By the way, I am trying the vegetarian thing - I break for seafood, however :(  Not all there yet.

The hubby is not pleased.

Will actually create something soon.

In the Street

Author's Note: I often wonder why just writing posts is sufficient for the goal of this blog, but then I remember that writing is a creation. If I plan to get better as a writer, then I had better get writing!

It's pathetic really.

I went to school today to tame the insanity that is my classroom. I cannot even begin planning for the school year until my classroom is ordered. As usual, I brought lots of stuff with me -- boxes full of new supplies and standards, a lunch tote, a bag brimming with placement exams, etc.

I missed the squished squirrel in the street as I pulled into the parking lot.

I took a few bags and my keys on my first trip from the parking lot to my classroom across the street. I still did not notice the squirrel.

I finally saw the carnage on my way back to the car. A tiny body face down in the street. Its head was smashed, brainy bits projected northward from the impact.

Another squirrel, a live squirrel, sniffed the body. At first I feared witnessing a "Silence-of-the-Squirrels" moment, but, as I approached, the live squirrel did not move in fear. It continued to sniff the body, ignoring me.

I began to fear that I had run over the squirrel. I offered apologies and condolances as I passed the scene (yes, out loud. yes, to the squirrel.).

When I got to my car, I checked the tires thoroughly. No pink blood or fleshy bits appeared on the wheels. A survey of the lot showed no trail from the incident to my car. I would like to think the illegally parked Mercedes next to me was the culprit, but there was no evidence.

I gathered my last load, a box, from the back seat and locked my car. A thought, silly now, crossed my mind -- perhaps I stepped on the squirrel? I put the box on the trunk to check my shoes. There was no flesh on my soles.

I passed the squirrels again with my last load. The live squirrel had moved on from sniffing the body to sniffing the explosion of brains. It was almost like the live squirrel was gathering the information it needed to comprehend why its friend was not moving. As if sniffing could perhaps provide a solution. That if it sniffed just a bit more, the friend that lay flat in the street would once again move.

"There is no solution," I told live squirrel as I passed. "And if you don't move, you'll meet the same fate."

Neil Gaiman: Not Just a Pretty Face

Perhaps some of my friends had spoken of Neil Gaiman before, but the name did not stick anywhere in my conscience.  I missed that recommendation or suggestion.

Over a year ago I saw the preview for Stardust, a new feature film.  I was intrigued by the fantasy elements as well as the humor in the trailer.  A few girls (literally, high school age) at church praised Stardust the movie as well as the book.

I picked up a copy of Stardust (novel version, I did not know it was also available in graphic novel/picture book format) at a buy 1 get 1 free promotional table.  I put it on my bookshelf and it waited.

I saw the movie Stardust on a plane ride...or was it train ride....I cannot remember.  Either way, I saw the film and liked it.

I went home and saw the copy of the novel on the bookshelf.  I walked past it.  It waited.

This summer, on a whim, I pulled the copy of Stardust off the shelf and put it in the summer-reading-stack by my bed.

Here was the stack:

The Guy Not Taken

Good in Bed

Mrs. Dalloway

Wuthering Heights

Crime and Punishment

Stardust

Sense and Sensibility

Perhaps you have read my review of 71.4% (approx.) of this initial stack and know I was on the look out for more Neil Gaiman.  And I think I mentioned it in a previous post.  Anyhow, Crime and Punishment goes unread (see, I threw on the stack S & S because I couldn't get past the first chapter of C & P...I was hoping to read them simultaneously because I needed to balance the angsty Russian literature with some dry English wit.  Well, it didn't work.  I moved on.)

I actually read Decline and Fall by Waugh (what? I was waiting for Brideshead Revisited to come up on my queue at the library!).  It is a REALLY funny novel and even MORE FUNNY if you are a teacher.  Good times! (Though I am not sure if that was Waugh's goal in writing this particular novel...)

Well, to keep my ramble short, I read Stardust, liked it (kinda, click here) and wanted to read more by Neil Gaiman.  At a trip to Powells, Kate recommended I read Smoke and Mirrors, a collection of his short stories.  I thought I would give that a go rather than wait till fall to get my classroom in order and find my copy of Coraline.

Smoke and  Mirrors is....good...um...interesing...actually... good.  In The Guy Not Taken, Jennifer Weiner has this section at the end where she writes a little bit about each of the short stories in the book.  Neil Gaiman does the same (but at the start) and it is REALLY fascinating for me to read what inspired his work and to read about his process.  

One story, fairly...uh...er...

Ahem.

Ok, he describes one particular story as...well...  Either way I was INCREDIBLY UNCOMFORTABLE reading it.  It was like reading The Secret History of the Pink Carnation.  

I thought TSHotPC was going to be a HISTORY NOVEL...but there is a reason historical romances are filed in the ROMANCE section.  I was EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE reading it because there was very little history and a lot of...yeh. (In my defense I found the book in the fiction section and not on the shelves with airbrushed Fabio pictures.)

So, I read this VERY uncomfortable story thinking "oh crap, what the heck is this?  I was happily reading about werewolves and other totally messed up...what the heck?  I mean the shrunken testicles on the beach in that one sea-monster vs. werewolf story was messed up but this is...whoa, do people really do this kind of stuff?"

Then I read his author's note. HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!  HA!

Neil Gaiman said he blushed most of the time writing it and it took him four years to finish it due to the blushing.  So glad I am not the only one who has difficulty writing scenes like that.  I have a story in my head about Severus Snape and I REALLY don't want to write it because there is some really messed up $#*! happening and other...things...that I don't feel comfortable writing about. 

(The Truth: I was hoping Crime and Punishment would help we write that story, but it has not.  I just got depressed by the first chapter.)

And I KNOW I READ JENNIFER WEINER and she has some scenes that are WAAAAAAAY "whoa!" but for some reason I can read those and be ok.  She is writing from a woman's perspective and I can understand that.  Neil Gaiman on the other hand...

He writes well.  He writes so well in fact that I am...unnerved?  Disgusted?  Shocked?  I don't know quite how to describe the squirmy sensation and slight nausea that comes with reading the male perspective of intimacy.  It is so...ew.  

Seriously: EEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWW!

Is this really how guys think?  If so, my thoughts of what how Severus Snape would react are TOTALLY off.

What was equally fascinating about Neil Gaiman is an essay he wrote about writing have a gender.  He assigns a gender to his work.  He saw Stardust as a girl's book.  Well, as a girl, I was not entirely satisfied by the characterization in the novel, but that only helps my thoughts on how gender works in writing.  

The best writing is writing that comes from one's experience. You take in an event or lifestyle and you write about it and try your darnedest to write it well and vividly so that someone can pick up your writing and understand your experience, whatever large chunk or small grain of it you have put into the piece.

Some writers have the gift of writing any character, male or female.  They can put themselves in any pair of shoes and write brilliant stories.

Others, and I put myself in this category, are not so great at it.  But we try...and sometimes we succeed.  And those who write the sensitive, romantic Draco "emo!" Malfoy fanfics are plain dillusional.

I tried to read C & P (with a bit of S & S) for the Snape angst and wit, but reading Neil Gaiman has given me a better understanding of the English male perspective.  

But I still don't know if I can write the story...

Agh, I just need to go write it and see what happens.

End babble/review.

MEEPERS!!!

Lately my post titles have been onomatopoetic.  

Today has been a GOOD DAY!!! 

Yesterday, not so much.  As my husband can testify, the PMS has arrived.  

Here is why today, JULY 31st, 2008 is a VERY GOOD DAY:

1) It is Harry Potter's and JK Rowling's Birthdays!  

2) JK Rowling announced that she and Amazon.com will release the rights to "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" and Scholastic will release the book December 4th. 

And it will include more information about wandlore, wizarding world stuff, etc.

  

And it is available in both standard and collector's editions. 

If you would like to pre-order a copy for me for my birthday, Christmas, Name's Day, or Pascha

(*ahem* parents -- yes mom, you are still off the hook for my birthday because you got me the collector's edition of The Order of the Phoenix, but I am throwing more ideas out there) 

you can here -- I will be happy with a standard edition, but would LOVE the collector's edition (it is $100!!!  Perhaps a birthday/Christmas/Name's Day/Pascha present combo?).

And it is for CHARITY!  JK Rowling is my hero -- she gains no profit, just the awesome feeling that comes with being generous to those who are less fortunate and ensuring dignity for all mankind.

3) I had an eight o'clock dentist appointment and have NO REASON for a second appointment!  Woot!  The dentist was worried about my inflamed front gums but I have breathing through my mouth due to sinus drainage (sorry -- it's true), he said it was nothing to worry about but I should watch it.  So, I have my mouth closed right now.

BUT NO RETURN VISIT!!!

4) I am so HAPPY to announce that one of my stories was accepted on a Harry Potter Fan Fiction Site!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No it is not about Lily and Sev, but whatever, MY STORY IS ON A FANFICTION SITE!!!

My beta, Gabe, gave me the thumbs up on Monday, which caused me to do a little snoopy dance inside, but I kept my cool.  There is always a chance that the moderators will not think one's story is well done.

So, I submitted the stories to Mugglenet FanFiction, Fictionalley, and The Quidditch Pitch (I had not heard of The Quidditch Pitch till Gabe recommended it.  It is a really cool site and I like how it is organized.  Bit...er...racey.  But that's ok :).   If I submitted to three sites, I would have pretty good odds.

AND...this morning I received an email from Fictionalley and MY STORY HAS BEEN UPLOADED!!!

I literally said "OH MEEPERS!" when I read the email.  I have no idea what "meepers!" means or where it came from, but I said it and I decided to use it for my title.

Only two things to dampen the experience: 1. I have a typo :C  It is my own darn fault; 2. My author's note did not make it: the one where I offer a HUGE THANK YOU to my beta Gabe for putting up with my neuroses as well as misuse of quotes, dashes, and ellipses and for guiding my writing from a jumble to a story AND how I quote the Godfather  Part I.

Oh well, you can't have it all.  But I did email the folks and hopefully these two errors can be corrected. 

And now I can add a new link bubble where you can check out where my stories are.  :D

But here's the thing -- Fictionalley is a really large community.  So is Mugglenet Fanfiction.  In the future I might just stick with The Quidditch Pitch, if they'll have me.  I really like small communities where you can foster relationships instead of being faceless in a mass of people.  

So, I'll see what happens.

BUT FOR NOW I AM GLORIOUSLY HAPPY AND WILL BE SNOOPY-DANCING TILL THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING!!! 

(except there is Vespers for Procession of the Cross, so I will have to stop then, light a candle in thanksgiving, but after that I am proceeding)

AGH!!!

Summer is slipping through my hands like fine grains of sand.  I had planned fun and adventure -- perhaps meet more people, make more friends, hang out in libraries, etc. 

My mom came last week which forced me to go out and have more fun.  She also showed me how to use a sewing machine (at my request) -- what?  A girl can never have too many crafts!

But alas, I told myself that as soon as August rolled around I would HAVE to get back to school work.  I have some math curriculum meeting that I don't know the details for, and some planning, a survey to write, etc.

Then I looked at my upcoming blogposts schedule and I still haven't addressed four items -- I haven't even RE-STARTED my pysanky projects!

AGH!!!

I have been crocheting my sweater, which is taking a lot longer than I thought.  I think my stitches are becoming larger :(

And as far as the JK Rowling speech goes, she is ten million shades of awesome and everyone should just read it.  I especially liked when she mentioned that most of the graduates are American and in a position to influence the government -- she didn't got the extra step and call all Americans to the carpet for their apathy, but it was encouraging to hear.  Read, and I believe listen/watch, to her speech here.

And GARDENING --  I bought basil at Trader Joe's and put it in water to keep it fresh (a la Barefoot Contessa, aka Ina Garten) AND THE BASIL GREW ROOTS!!!  No joke!  I meant to transplant it, but that didn't work out and it died.  I was reminded of Feist's line in the song Mushaboom: "second floor living without a yard".  Well, more like fourth floor, but I have no yard either way.  So, I decided to buy these pre-potted basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary plants and keep them on the kitchen counter.  I did water them, but the whole lack of sunlight thing is what did them in -- my husband likes these thick curtains that prevent light and sound from coming into the condo.  I think he really likes caves...

But, we (my mom, my mother in law, and I) went to the Yakima Fruit and Plant Stand on Monday and I picked up a dahlia and a lavender plant.  Don't be fooled by the name -- this fruit stand was near Lake City (which is near Seattle); I think the Yakima refers to farms that grow the produce and plants.

All my plants are doing fairly well on the porch -- I was able to keep the basil alive and a lily alive as well.  I just lack a green thumb.

Which begs the question -- what have I been doing so far then this summer?

Well:

1. Writing blog posts and trying to edit them into something coherent which includes LOTS of spell checking and editing out the passive voice (I am very guilty of it, I know  - and of completely vague and general descriptions)

2. Going to the bead store and not doing any beading at home

3. Crocheting my sweater while watching Anthony Bourdain and Samantha Brown on the travel channel...and Project Runway...and Oprah...and Kathy Griffin My Life on the D List.  But not EVERY day.

4. Taking walks to the library -- and devouring just about everything I bring home, which lately has been Jennifer Weiner.  I believe I have read all of her books, let's see...Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, Goodnight Nobody, Little Earthquakes, The Guy Not Taken, Certain Girls (her latest).  I think that is most of them...what?  I like her writing!

And, last but not least, writing Fan Fiction.  I have about four or so stories I am working on, one with a beta, but I don't want to overwhelm the beta with four stories (right?).

But there was a two week stint where I hadn't heard back from said beta and I totally didn't realize it because I was too caught up reading Jennifer Weiner books.  

Yep, I have been a busy girl.

Oh I also made tropical fruit Popsicles and cooked many a tasty meal.  My hubby says I need to bake more pies and cookies.

But I better get myself in gear if I am going to live this summer to the fullest.  My husband certainly is by taking hikes every weekend and planning small trips for us.  I think I would appreciate all of his efforts more if he would dedicate a weekend or two to new (to us) car-buying and bed shopping, but I think that is exactly what he is avoiding.

Well, I better get to editing that story and sending it out to various fanfic sites.  I just recently found out about PhoenixSong.net -- which is pathetic because I have trolled many a fan fic site and somehow missed this one.  PhoenixSong.net is pretty cannon compliant (i.e. no Lily/Snape shipping, which I say is lame cause I think there was some snogging there, so I don't know if my stories will be accepted, but whatever).

Agh -- editing, ok, going to do that now.

HUGE Book Review...and Writing Plans...

I have spent the past few weeks reading the following (in this order):

Wuthering Heights

Mrs. Dalloway

The Guy Not Taken

Good in Bed

Stardust

I finished the last three in two weeks...

Wuthering Heights:  When I first started reading this I thought instantly of Lily and Snape.  A dark young man and a beautiful young lady grow up together and have a strong connection to each other.  Then a really handsome and well to do guy moves into the neighborhood and the beautiful girl marries him.  Then she dies, leaving a child behind, then the guy dies, and the dark young man is left pinning for his love and treating the child badly.  So very much like Snape in the Harry Potter Series.

Except Heathcliff makes Severus Snape look well adjusted.  Heathcliff had some SERIOUS ISSUES.

A brief comparison:

Appearance:  I think Heathcliff is hotter.  Snape I imagine was kind of skinny and sallow.  Heathcliff had some meat on his bones and a bad boy scowl that would have appealed to some ladies.  I don't know what their noses or eyebrows looked like, but I wouldn't have gone for either one.

Vocabulary:  Here, Snape is definitely more civilized.  Heathcliff swears like a sailor.  They do share the ability to insult their true love's child-by-another-man (especially since the child looks like the father...just sayin').

Morals:  Heathcliff has no morals.  I am not surprised that those around him think he is beyond human.  He is violent, he digs up graves, and he is in no way hospitable.  He drives people to ruin and is vengeful. 

For quite sometime I thought of Snape as a very foul little man.  He constantly insults Harry (what did Harry ever do to him?) and generally belittles students (which I do take issue with).  However, the only time Snape was violent was when Harry fished around in Snape's memories and Snape threw a couple of spells at him.  Snape is some what dubious in his morals when he asks Voldemort to save Lily and not the rest of her family.  But, he makes up for it by doing his darnedest to protect the-boy-whose-very-presence-causes-him-to-simultaneously-remember-his-childhood-friend-and childhood-enemy.

I never thought I  would think well of Snape, but both Deathly Hallows and Wuthering Heights have forced me to conclude that he was really not THAT bad.  He was bitter, he was sneaky, and he had his own motivations that he never revealed to anyone (except Dumbledore and Harry) -- but he wasn't as bad as Heathcliff.

Which brings me to a couple of interesting thoughts.  First of all, the oldest cousin (the one who should have inherited the estate if Heathcliff hadn't gotten his father drunk and gambled it from him) looked like Catherine (H's true love -- more like true obsession) or at least HAD CATHERINE'S EYES!  Ahem!

Hello, Harry had Lily's eyes!  But Heathcliff, from what I could tell, was sort of nice to this boy and was trying to toughen him up much in the way Heathcliff was reared.  My question is:  why couldn't Snape be that nice to Harry?  I think it was the same reason Heathcliff couldn't be nice to Catherine's daughter: she looked too much like her father.  But, as some Harry Potter fans have wondered, would Snape have been nice to Lily's child if he or she had looked like Lily?  I think so -- it seemed that Heathcliff couldn't help it and he's totally off his rocker.   Snape, who is a smidgen more reasonable, would not have been immune either.

Overall, Wuthering Heights was AWFUL -- it made me so mad at times, and not the good mad where I start yelling at the book or throw it across the room.  But, I wanted half the people to attack Heathcliff with a shovel or an embroidery hoop depending on who they were -- I even imagined a scene where Nelly and Cathy attack Heathcliff by standing at the door with a poker and some upholstery. Sadly, this never happened. 

As I read on, it just got worse, and worse, and worse...and the ending was sort of lame.  If I had to like a Bronte novel, I guess it would be Jane Eyre because at least I could wrap my head around the character's motivations there.  I could not understand the people in Wuthering Heights.  The one part I did like was the crazy groundskeeper with the very thick accent and how it was written (a possible inspiration for a Hagrid?).

{A funny side note as I was editing this post -- from my profile you know I cannot spell.  So, I could not spell Heathcliff and was too lazy to look it up.  So I just typed whatever, like "Heithsliff" or "Heithclif" or, my favorite "Heithclifee".  Hee :D  Then I finally looked it up and spelled it properly.}

Mrs. Dalloway:  I bought a copy of the book on May 26th (or thereabouts) -- it took me about a MONTH to finish it and the book is only 3/4 of an inch thick.  I think it was more coherent than Faulkner, but just as difficult to follow.  I sometimes liked bouncing around into different character's heads, but sometimes it just made it difficult to keep track of who it was and I had to go back and re-read it.  

I liked it - kinda.  It was a hearty read and I didn't always understand what was happening.  I did like how Woolf captured post-war trauma in a person.  I think it very accurate how difficult it would be to come home after war.  The Iliad with its crazy metaphors sometimes alludes to this, but the chaos of the thoughts of someone traumatized by war -- it can get to you.  She did some wonderful writing there.  

And the Sally Seton stuff - woo!  Clarissa was quite the make-out mogul, was she not?!

The one question I have after all of this is:  is Elizabeth's, Clarissa's child, father Richard (Clarissa's husband) or Peter (other dude Clarrisa could have loved, or at least married)?  

The daughter is said to have a dark quality about her, dark, Oriental eyes.   Peter was said to be half-Indian and he and Clarissa spent some time in a wine cellar in their youth (this is what I understood).  And a nurse remarked that the Dalloway's are usually fair...I don't know what larger impact this question could have on the whole of the novel, but it is just a question I had.

The Guy Not Taken and Good in Bed:  These books are both by Jennifer Weiner, who writes intelligent chick lit.  Or at least this is what I tell myself.  But seriously, I think Weiner has a amazing style and ideas.  Her characters are captivating.  My hubby asked me if Good in Bed was all about sex (he looked worried) and I told him some of the plot.  After telling him about Cannie almost losing her baby and getting an emergency hysterectomy because her ex-boyfriend's crazy girlfriend shoved her, he said "So, did she sue them?" with that angry glint in his eye and curl of lip that I occasionally see when he is super mad.

He is such a Hufflepuff.  Seriously:  a strong sense of justice and a hard worker.  I am definitely a Ravenclaw (creative, a bit loopy -- think Luna Lovegood, and a fussy know-it all) with Hufflepuff leanings (I have a strong sense of justice too, but I am WAY too lazy).

So, Weiner's characters and plots can draw a reader in, but more over she has a way of articulating what it is that people feel when they love and especially when they divorce (her parents, like mine, divorced in her late teens).  Good in Bed hit hard on the abandonment issues (I know I was really hard on my father after his affair and the divorce, but he is WAY better and more loving than Cannie's dad), but The Guy Not Taken was even more of an exploration.  She said that writing was like her therapy.  I agree -- I write to soothe my mind and the many thoughts that churn therein.

Good in Bed was especially nice because she chose as her protagonist a woman who is intelligent but not confident about herself due to her perceptions of her appearance.

In other words, she thinks she is fat. 

All women, at some time or another, have cared far too much about their appearance. But unlike Bridget Jones, Cannie is tall and has lots of curves and some curves that shouldn't be there.  So it is justifiable to say that the protagonist is plus sized.

I always think I am fat - well, I didn't when I weighed 110 pounds which is where I should be.  However,  I should not be 103 or even 90 pounds which is where I was after a lot of fasting and working out.  And while diet and exercise did help, I actually had cancer at the time. That would make anyone lose weight and keep it off...the problem is you KEEP losing weight (which is when I got REALLY worried).

But, it is really easy for people to dismiss your concerns when you are five feet tall.  Yep, I have smaller bones and everything APPEARS small -- but when you wear a 32D and have cellulite, you certainly don't FEEL small.  I weighed myself at the gym the other day -- 122 pounds!!!  I have not been this heavy since junior year of college!  And even then I was 118!  I know my metabolism is slowing and gravity is setting in -- but I SERIOUSLY need to lose some weight (did I mention my mom was recently diagnosed with diabetes and I am scared out of my wits now...).

Still, I have not the issues of women who are taller who also are well endowed and have cellulite.  I am short and therefore can be cute.  They are taller and are labelled "fat chick" and other hurtful things.  Cannie must come to terms with her body type and who she is apart from her body.  And, moreover, find people who do not CARE what she looks like and love her.  

Stardust:  I saw the movie on an airplane or train -- it was fun.  The book was not too different except for the ending (the movie was much more Hollywood, obviously).

It was a very well written and very funny fairy tale.  I loved it.  I love books like these -- a little break from reality but still a sense of humanity in the characters and plot of the book.   

The only thing I did not like was the lack of development of Tristan and the Star's relationship, how they fell in love, etc.  I was not looking for that Hollywood glance/touch/inappropriate-sexual-liaison, but some more of them working together in their journey so that they develop a friendship that turns into love.  Tristan takes care of the star and the star just sits around -- girl didn't even help when he got turned into a door mouse.  But, other than that, I really enjoyed the novel.  I will have to look for other stuff by Neil Gaiman. 

Ahh...but now I feel compelled to write (and not just blog entries) and read some more.  I want to polish up a little story I have about Snape and Lily's friendship (it is pretty cute) and I also have this other story I want to get out about Snape in Death Eater mode.  But my mom is coming soon and I won't have a lot of time to write...

I sort of started Crime and Punishment (to get me in a Snape-writing mood) but I started re-reading Sense and Sensibility (because I think one should take all things in moderation).  I think I will keep switching between the two of them to get a criminal mind set paired with some English sentiment.  Maybe I should just read Montemorency - except it is for young adults and I have already read it.

*sigh*

I am off to cook.

I am not a spelling bee champ...

...well, I guess I technically was one of the fifth grade representatives in our school wide spelling bee, and I got past round one.  Then I totally bit it in round two (which ended up being the final round).

I wonder if that school really emphasized spelling...I remember getting a list every week or so.

But, I LOVE watching spelling bees.  I love words, though as writer I am often incompetent in putting them together and using them correctly, much less spelling them with accuracy.  Every year I would watch the spelling bee on ESPN and have a great time.  So when I read in the paper a few months back that the spelling bee would be on a Friday night, I was SUPER excited.

It would be on ABC network, which was alright.  In fact, I thought better because then the whole country could see how cool the spelling bee is.

I was wrong.

One might think that ESPN would play up the "sports" aspect of it all -- the back story, the rivaliries, etc.  When I would watch the spelling bee back in the day (I just realized the other day that ten years ago for me was 18 :|  I am getting old...), there was not that element at ALL -- it was all words, all the time.  No interviews, no backstory, just spellers.

But I guess the documentary Spell Bound changed all of that.  I you have yet to see Spell Bound, go out now and watch it.  It is the funniest and most heart-warming documentary you will see.  

As a junior high/middle school teacher, I often can be quite cynical about my profession, giving every event an eye roll and a scoff.  The Masses, the assemblies, the flippin' talent show - I  give it all the best laugh I can when I am organizing it all.  But, my heart goes pitter patter when watching kids doing the events -- my collegues say the best part of the talent show is watching me direct and smile during the performances (I will have to watch that next year...).  I am the same way during the spelling bee -- I totally root for the kids and feel for them when they miss a word.  I am so invested in them.

I guess I love them.  

Whatever.  It doesn't mean I let them get away with anything.

The disappointing thing about the ABC network spelling bee was HOW MUCH PRESSURE THEY PUT ON THESE KIDS!!!  No joke: one of the interviwers said to a girl "You are the favorite  to win tonight...".

I screamed at the tv - hello!  Pressure much!  Of course that girl did not win, and no doubt because she was nervous that she was the "favorite" to win that night.

And how the heck do people determine who is the "favorite"?  Seriously, THEY ARE JUNIOR HIGH KIDS - leave them alone! 

 The back story element was cool because you got to see some of the kids being kids.  The unfortune part is that it is difficult to predict who will be a winner or in the final round (ahem!  ABC...), so they only showed the back story of a quarter of the kids who made it to the final rounds.

I usally like to play along at home, and I was used to the ESPN format where they do not show the word till it is spelled.   No such luck on ABC - they flippin' show the word first off!  No fair - so I took to covering the screen with a notepad I use to write down food network receipes.

I spelled three words correctly: aurelian, boulangere, escapeche

The rest, yeh...

Here is the notepad - pathetic. I took high school Latin, college Ancient Greek and French, grew up speaking Spanish, have sung enough in German and Russian to get by, and am fairly good at guessing.   I even read Nietzche (and will never do it again).  But I could only spell three words. Granted, these words were HARD!  The hubby was excited when tautological made it in the bee because we are always reading tautological statements made by my students. For example, when I ask them to explain why they would choose the mean to represent a set of data, they write things like "I would choose the mean because it is the average". 

*sigh*

But to ask one of my students to spell Nietzschean in front of the whole country - I think we would both cry.

I will say this:   I totally rooted for the kid who won!  Sameer Mishra!

What a cutie!  He was really funny too - his word was numnah and he looked at the announcer and said "what?"

HAAAAA!!!

But as soon as he was given the origin (Hindi) and definition (horse blanket) he was good to go. There is a youtube video of his reaction, but I have difficulties with videos and even uploading photos, so google it.

And I was so glad to see such a variety of kids up there - different parts of the country and back grounds.  I love how multi-cultural America is.  And I love spelling bees.  So there you go.

But NEVER ABC network - PLEASE!!!

LAST DAY!!! (And other random thoughts)

It was SWEET! Well, sort of an odd feeling...we were discussing this at the faculty party afterwards. The sky was grey, we were all huddled around with blankets on our lap to keep warm - it felt more like November than the beginning of summer.

And I bought some really cute sandals (Dansko) at REI - just wondering when there will be the requisite sandal wearing weather.

I have been writing a lot lately - I think JK Rowling's recent "pre-quel" set my mind going. Not that it had much to do with my favorite pairing (Lily/Sev in case you have not picked up on that), but it did get the wheels spinning on my own lingering question: "WHY DID SHE MARRY HIM???" (HIM = James Potter).

So, I started the beta search again. Gave the beta this URL, so if you read this: "hi!"

Oh - and I get home at 3:00 ('cause school's out for summer!!!) and my hubby's home! Which was great - not for him because it was a bit of bum day, but we got to spend some quality time together.

I had been wanting to watch a movie...it is so fun to snuggle up with the one you love and watch some great film.

I rented Enchanted.

It was not a great film. It was formulaic, offensive (SOOOO many bad stereotypes - especially for African - American females), and sexist-but-not-trying-to-be-sexist (the worst sort).

I was not impressed. I would rather watch Mulan than this (and I haven't watched a Disney film in AGES). Rah - Rah females, breaking out of romantic idealist constrictions whilst "saving" the guy. Ugh!

The hubbster did not think much of it either - it made us agree with Conservatives (for once) that the whole "Hollywood" set of ideals deviates from actual morality. There is a real liberal slant in these "movie ideals" and (IMO) a lack of duty - Kantian and non-Kantian - when it comes to relationships. That it is not easy to be in a relationship, and THEREFORE should not be entered lightly. I certainly wouldn't want my children watching this load of...well...crass commercialism with a dose of prejudice.

The chipmunk was animated well, I will give them that.

I better rap it up - the hubby wants his ipod synced.

So no beta...

...everyone is busy. At first I was like "Busy? Really? Well, I guess I am too, but I am finding some time -". Then WHOOSH - all my spare time gone. I have been working on a new outline, a new story line. I have in my head this heavenly (literally) scene where Snape gets to spend eternity with a fifteen year old Lily, the Lily he knew, the Lily that died when he betrayed her. How it must hurt to be betrayed by one's best friend! Surely a bit of someone would die - would feel pain and anguish.

Anyhow, Snape's soul gets to spend a peaceful exsistance with a fifteen year old Lily - but he is fifteen as well. But he learns that he will be eternally happy.

Yea!

I think where I was writing in my story some details might have been lost along the way. I would love to spend one to three days of my vacation writing. But alas - there are Christmas presents to crochet and a house to decorate (I said I would do it St. Nicholas' day old calender, which was yesterday, but I didn't get to it).

Lots to do ahead - lots of little scenes in my head that I need to play out. Plus my friend Odious (www.odiousandpeculiar.blogspot.com) got me thinking about some other character details with his post about the art of courtly love.

I may choose to post a new first chapter soon

I have a beta...sort of...

...hee! Well, my email does indeed work! Alas, my beta is busy and unsure if she can help me.

That's ok - I am generally optimistic.

And I signed up for NaNoWriMo! I only have 4,000+ words.

Am going to work today - hopefully get to 10,000 words.

Words are quite small when you think about it...

New Structure to FanFic

I did a HUGE writing session yesterday with my fan fic. I don't have the particulars up yet - I have tried to contact a beta to read my work. So far, no answers. I am beginning to wonder if my email works - except I do hear from my meet up group.

Anyhow, I do want to read through it before I post.

Alas- it is tough going for an Empiricist author...

...it is National write a novel month! I am a huge Meg Cabot fan and she posted about it on her blog. I should be inspired to complete my work - In the Blink of Her Eyes - but, ALAS, I find myself bogged down with facts and details and that pesky sense of wanting to get it right!

In morning traffic, as well as morning bed lurking, I found myself thinking of a new way to present the story. It is really a love triangle isn't it - Severus loves Lily, James loves Lily, Lily loved someone else...a long time ago (my own character creation), and really Lily loved Sev, but he's a bad boy and Lily hates James because he's a bad boy especially to her Sev. But then she has to face reality and James must become civilized (i.e. grow up). And Lily decides to torture Snape (notice the name change) JUST a little bit by being nice to James - afterall, she is hurting, and on the outside Snape doesn't appear bothered, but occupied in his own dark arts pleasures...

...and as I was brainstorming I threw in a humorous Pervy Peter Pettigrew story line - rat that he is, goes sneaking into the prefect bathrooms - ha!

And then I thought of a song for Peeves to sing:

Pesky, Pervy, Pettigrew
pottering around the pots
popping up amongst the towels
just to peak a alot!

Which was really bad...very bad writing, but amused me for a mo'. It is WAY better than all the snogging scenes I have imagined for Lily and Severus - I envision heavy use of Felix Felicitas on his part!

Anyhow, must go teach!

It's been awhile...

... I am still trying to balance school, life, and fan fic writing.

I have once again changed my mind about the structure of the story I want to write - or, I suppose, I rather want to fill in.

I have been re-reading the whole HP series, looking now for more about Snape, which I had not done before. To me, he was not a character I was drawn to - he seemed so mean and awful to Harry that one, I think, could not but also get angry with Snape as Harry did.

But what an interesting character - to see Harry's own person as a personal insult. Lily said she would never be interested in James, and yet she MARRIES the guy and has a KID with him!

If I were Snape, I would be pretty upset too.

However, could Harry really help what his mother said or who his father was? I think it a little TOO vindictive to take this attitude. But, perhaps Snape was saving himself from more hurt by distancing himself from Harry. From a distance perhaps he only saw James and would not have to look at Lily's eyes - a source of pain for him.

Anyhow - just some thoughts that have been rattling around in my brain.

Hopefully will get a new chapter up in the next month that starts with Snape and Lily's estrangement.

I'm actually starting to think of him as Severus...hmmmm.

About my Fan Fiction: In the Blink of Her Eyes

Howdy!

I am a mugglenet fan, so I don't know if I will try to publish there, but I will update this blog with my story. I am a former English teacher, but I teach math now (which I HEART to the utmost) - and means I won't have a lot of time. But I will try to edit before I post, but would heartily appreciate comments that relate to character and plot development as well as the typical grammar and conventions.

Here are the normal labels and warnings:

The characters I write of are property of J. K. Rowling, a literary genius and veteran story teller. J.K. Rowling - if you ever read this blog, I am very much obliged to you for inspiring me with your inventions. You have been an inspiration to everyone!

Title: In the Blink of Her Eyes

Inspiration for title: see first post - I was inspired by Lily's blink in Order of the Phoenix

UPDATE: this post was HEAVILY edited because, well, I was so GIDDY when I wrote it.

I really envisioned this torrid love affair between Snape and Evans, but upon reading DH for the, let's see, FOURTH time, I think otherwise.

I think they were friends, really close friends, but some friendships grow apart. Sometimes your friends make choices that you do not, you cannot agree with, and so you start to avoid them, begin to make other close friends.

And so it was with Lily and Severus. I think they got to Hogwarts and for the first two years were really close buds. But James would of course guarantee that Snape's life was no fun, so Snape started dabbling in what might be, at first, simple retaliatory spells, but would eventually lead to the dark arts. And with using and seeking out dark spells, Snape would start to hang out with some who also were using dark spells.

But Lily wouldn't and couldn't - especially since most of those who used dark spells hated muggleborns. I think Lily begins to realize what Severus is up to and puts up a sort of barrier for her feelings towards him. I think she deep down does like him romantically, but those feelings are pushed far away when she realizes what he using.

Anyhow, I want to work on their history a bit more. So, I will write the fan fiction.

With this long, mega-post, I bid adieu with my final thought: "Detail oriented much? Well, I am a teacher..."

Lia Mey