I’ve spent a lot of time in various small spaces, reading. This makes my heart sing with joy.
Monthly Archives: July 2007
Book Challenge: The Sorted Books Project
This is the Sorted Books Project:
Here’s my challenge to all my booky and librarical readers: go forth and rearrange books (temporarily, of course) to tell a story. Take a picture. Post it.
Celebramos!
I got word this morning that my good friends Kate and Ade just produced a bebe. I’m so proud of them. I’m not sure why I feel pride. Perhaps it’s that I’ve done nothing yet that will impact the world as much what they just did. I haven’t even written a thesis. Or knit a sweater to exact proportions.
Anyway, I’m pleased to know that a bebe named Lincoln is in this world, and I’ll get to meet him and give him some books, thereby helping him rock the vote, heal the world, or whatever he ends up doing with his giant hands.
Harry Potter Party
Here’s a link to the photo album of Harry Potter party pictures.
What can I say. I’m exhausted. I stayed up late working on the Harry Potter trivia quiz and dying my hair pink. I think I’m going to have to practice my throwing-parties-for-kids thing, because it takes a lot more pre-party coordination than I expected. I got home to find my copy of HP7 on the stairs, but I think I need a nap before attending to it. And some cheese popcorn.
Oh, you want me to post the HP quiz? Alright then. This is a collection of questions from other sites, as well as some of my own:
What are the two variations in the title of the first book?
What are the month and day of HP’s birthday?
In the first book, what is the address on the owlgrams? (1 point for each line, 5 lines)
In Sorcerer’s Stone, what was the first password for Gryffindor house?
What’s the name for someone born into a wizarding family who has no magical powers?
On what platform does Harry get the train to Hogwarts?
From what station does the train leave?
What is Albus Dumbledore’s favorite kind of candy?
What’s the spell to create light in dark places?
Gringotts, the Wizard Bank, is managed by:
In Chamber of Secrets, what potion do Harry, Ron, and Hermione take while trying to get into Slytherin?
What is Voldemort’s real full name?
What do Hermione Granger’s parents do for a living?
What does S.P.E.W. stand for?
What is a common garden pest resembling a potato with legs?
Where do the Weasleys go on vacation, after Ron’s father wins a contest at work?
In which book do we first meet Sirius Black?
What is the name of the school Vernon Dursley says Harry goes to?
What color is the Knight Bus?
What is Hermione’s cat’s name?
What creature guards Azkaban?
In divination, what is the name for a large black dog that is an omen of imminent death?
What charm do you use against a Boggart?
What do you have to say to make the Marauder’s Map activate and blank again? (2 points)
With what spell does Harry open the One-Eyed Witch’s hump?
What kind of animal is Buckbeak?
How do you know if you are allowed to touch a creature like Buckbeak?
What does Professor Lupin drink to prevent him from turning into a werewolf?
What body part is Peter Pettigrew missing?
What makes a Crup different from a Jack Russell terrier?
What form does Harry’s patronus take?
[Leave a comment if you want me to email you the answers.]
Voldemort can’t stop the rock
I’ve been watching live news broadcasts from Harry Potter parties all over the area. Looks like Cambridge is blowing up. It’s so exciting to see so many people into the same thing.
Is this what the Beatles were like? I wonder how long it will be before there’s another phenomenon like Harry Potter. Will it be another book, or a website, or what?
Tomorrow I get my copy of the book, and I get to host a party for kids. I hope there are more bandwagons to jump on, because it’s fun. And read-y.
Local lore: Tim wants a magical button
A long time ago, my friend Tim said that he wants a button the wall that, when pushed, would signal a troupe of dancers to come out and perform to Michael Jacksons “Smooth Criminal”.
This is about as close as I’ve seen:
Phillipino inmates, en mass, dancing to Thriller. If I ever went to prison, this is what I’d try to do too.
HP and me
They’re here! They’re here! They’re here! To get them before the release date, you had to buy a case (of 10), so I did. Nine are going out on the shelf tomorrow – and one is going home to the ultimate winner of our Harry Potter party trivia contest.
I’m sitting at my desk, writing out all the details to the Harry Potter party tomorrow. My list includes:
Divination table: palm and tea leaf reading
Great Hall table: butterbeer, pumpkin juice, Ton-Tongue Toffees, licorice wands, rock cookies (thanks, Hagrid!)
Sorting table: you get sorted, then make a badge to show your house
Ollivander table: making wands
Defense Against the Dark Arts and Crafts table: Bat mobiles, suspended snakes, and a coloring contest that will blow your head off
Triwizard Tournament: three challenges, best time wins
Dueling: one on one duels, judges for accuracy, enunciation, and flair
Spells practice: it’s like Red Light, Green Light but with a wand (immobilus!)
And the cherry on top is the trivia contest. I’ve been working on it for a week.
I still need to get some fishing line for the bat mobiles, and some sort of ball I can use as a snitch. Man, I’m so excited. Wait till you see what I’m dressing up as.
FI-ER-TRUCK! FI-ER-TRUCK!
Today is Firetruck Day. Each year, the fire truck comes to the library (actually to the front lawn of the UU church next door) and the Fire Department does a fire safety talk, does tours of the truck, then turns the hose (nicely) on the children.
All of a sudden, I’m so freaking excited. There are kids already here (an hour early), and one mom said she came early so she could get a good parking spot! Apparently, this is one of the biggest library events of the year.
Cashing in on children’s joy
I just read an article about how Scholastic and Warner Bros. are cracking down on the nefarious Harry Potter underground raves.
Apparently the book launch parties are breaking the rules we all consented to when we signed the street date affidavit (I didn’t really read it, I just knew it meant I couldn’t bring the book out before July 21).
If you want the details, you can read the article. They don’t specifically mention libraries, but what they’re describing still applies to the party we’re planning to have.
We’re not changing a thing about our party. We’re referring to it as a Hewlet-Packard party to avoid the cops/Deatheaters, but being a nonprofit in a small community, I think we’ll be under the radar.
Still, it’s upsetting.
I’m all booked up. Harrrrr.
So I’m feverishly finishing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, so can reread the Half-Blood Prince before the Deathly Hallows comes out next Saturday. I forgot how long it takes to read these massive tomes, although carting OotP is good physical therapy for my gimp arm.
Anyway, I’m booked solid. I’m busy with the summer reading program at my library, and getting ready to throw a Harry Potter party on the new book release date, so I’m sure I’ll be finishing HBP none too soon before the new one comes out.
So I pre-ordered my copy of Deathly Hallows today, along with the new Thursday Next book. First Among Sequels comes out on July 25, so here’s my new bookings:
Order of the Phoenix: 896 pages
Half Blood Prince: 672 pages
Deathly Hallows: 784 pages
First Among Sequels: a paltry 400 pages
I’m not bragging, but I am saying that I’ll be fulfilling my role as a bookish librarian. Except I plan on being drunk while reading.
Kidding, mom.