Delineating Des

Lumos Maxima! A bored muggle needed sufficient light to pore over the final Harry Potter book not once but twice, thrice or Voldy knows how many times. Yes, we can say the name now . These are lines I remember from The Deathly Hallows for reasons bubbling with toads and whiskers in my cauldron recently: 1. All's fair in love and war and this is a bit of both. - Ron Weasley 2. Mudblood and proud of it! - Hermione Granger 3. Of course it is happening in your head, but why on earth should that mean it is not real? - Albus Dumbledore to Harry 4. I think the answer is: a circle that has no beginning. - Luna Lovegood 5. We teachers are rather good in magic you know. - Minerva McGonagall 6. We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter's the one, And Voldy's gone moldy, so now let's have fun! - Peeves 7. It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon...

Just magical? (TCP theme this week) I'm so having a ready answer for that. But as ready as I may seem for this week's theme, choosing which, among the 6 installments of Harry Potter, to feature was rather hard. I love them all. Have I made myself obvious yet as a Harry Potter fan? :-) Ok, I made up my mind on the second installment - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets . Check out Mrs Weasley's howler. Observe how Dobby the house elf attempt to repay a debt of gratitude. Don't neglect your ear muffs when you grasp a mandrake. Make sure the invisibility booster is functioning when you ride a flying car. Avoid landing it on a Whomping Willow. Have some Kleenex in your pocket if you travelled by Floo Powder. It's a bit messy. Say 'immobulos' to ward off pixies trying to tie you to a dinosaur skeleton. Get curious at Tom Riddle's diary. My kiddo watches HP almost every week, and sometimes points a chopstick at me and says, "umos aksima...

Both the tune and lyrics intrigued me the first time I saw the Hogwarts choir sing this on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Back in the muggle school I attended the English Lit prof wasn't into paranormal stuff so she understandably didn't discuss this part of Macbeth. Thanks to convenient research nowadays. Finding out that this was the witches' brew in the cave was a lazy flick of the wand. I wish the croaking of the frogs wasn't omitted, but I'm glad I no longer have to babble each time I want to chant along. ~ Musical Monday is brought to you by Diane ~

Header from Samulli . Play T13 here . Mountains and lakes, quiet dirt roads, pretty meadows, rustic barns, beautiful gardens, quaint cottages or elegant houses, lovely fountains, farm animals - if they are anywhere in a film, whether shown for 1 minute or 10, I am certainly watching. Being a city dweller for fifteen years has not swayed my wish to one day live in a charming countryside. I am a country girl at heart! My T13 today are my favorite films that show the English countryside in some or most parts of each of them. Their stories are great and I love them; I also believe the setting adds a lot of impact and appeal: 1. Pride and Prejudice (2005) 2. Ladies in Lavender (2004) 3. Sense and Sensibility (1995) 4. Miss Potter (2006) 5. The Secret Garden (1993) 6. Nanny McPhee (2005) 7. Becoming Jane (2007) 8. Keeping Mum (2005) 9. Harry Potter I - VII of course (2001 - ) 10. Vanity Fair (2004) 11. Elizabeth (1998) 12. The Duchess (2008) 13. Atonement (2007) Bonus: Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Siam Paragon was very crowded last weekend. I took my son to this mall for a Harry Potter 6 date. Up and up we went, using the elevators. Then we stopped. It was where a former student had her picture taken. I recognize the background. The car gallery. Or should I say the gallery where the fast and flashy wheels sit on display until some multi-millionaire decides to have them. My globe-trotting former student fancied a meeting somewhere there with me. A quick one. Nothing serious. She was in Bangkok for a couple of days, en route to wherever in the world her job was taking her. And I was en route to a job that has been gluing me to the same metropolis for two years and a decade. Out of the blue Cj thought that despite being usually shy around the camera, it wouldn't be so bad to clown a bit in front of gorgeous machinery. Y chromosomes or the spaciousness of the spot for mimicking movie character actions, documented; or it could be what I didn't speculate at all. He goofed. The...

An advice circulates, 'do not judge a movie by its book.' In a book lover's blog is a little reversal of nouns in the same advice - 'do not judge a book by its movie.' I read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince shortly after its release in 2005. A few weeks before the film was due, I read the book again purely for entertainment. And as I read it once more this week I find a different kind of appeal with a more reflective approach on its magical contents and what seem to be their counterparts in the muggle world. Before I wax enumerative, I must say I love Samulli 's header from the T13 home, thank you very much. Hmm... that was obvious - a fan that I am of Rowling's genius. Okay, no more further incantations . These are a muggle's 13 musings: 1. The Other Minister - imagine you are premier of your country discussing issues with your wizard counterpart.... Perhaps we can fancy the others for bridges collapsing, the H1N1 flu, or future pestile...

There is a first in everything, or so at least it seems. In my kiddo's case Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is his first theatre experience. We arrived at Siam Paragon a little before 3 PM yesterday (18.07.09). Friends who came to the same mall for the same purpose were kind to book our Imax seats for 8 PM. So we loitered around the Pride of Bangkok for a few hours while waiting for our magical appointment. All the time I was wondering what would be Cj's reaction when he faces the big screen for the first time. Just as I suspected, Cj didn't want to go in. Well, who would when thunderous sound effects greet you at the entrance? I find them a little unsettling myself, no matter how used I am to them already. Having read reviews of the movie here and there, I already had an idea of what to expect. I sat on the front row near the exit, not my original seat, to keep track of my baby situation . Every few minutes I peeped through the glass, and observed Cj, milk bott...

Header from Samulli Ever wondered where do famous quotations really come from? How about wondering how did they come about or who really said them? Truth be told, I did not wonder. Not that I assumed everything's perfect in the business of quoting and quotations, I just trusted the language I'm reading and listening to as embellished enough. But I did have fun finding out that certain quotations or attributions did not really originate from whoever they are famous with or how the media present them to be. This list is Part II of last week's TT post . 1. According to Jack Freedman, 'A piano is a piano is a piano' was written by Gertrude Steinway . Ms Stein is also credited with the phrase 'A lost generation' , but this, she always admitted, came from a Monsieur Pernollet, a hotelier from Belley, who referred to a mechanic fixing Ms Stein's car as on of " Une generation perdue' ; those whose formative years had been spent at war. Ms Stein appli...

Header by Samulli HP fans are flocking to the movies for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in July. I am re-reading the book to remember some details and be more aware of what's showing (and not) in the movie. Out of the many quotes in the book that I like, amuse me or are relavant to me, here are 13 of them: 1. People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than for being right. ~ Hermione Granger on Dumbledore, p. 96 2. Why are you worrying about You-Know-Who? You should be worrying about U-No-Poo- The Constipation Sensation that's gripping the nation. ~ Sign on the Weasley Twins Joke Shop, p.116 3. It is impossible to manufacture or imitate love. When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love. ~ Horace Slughorn to Malfoy and Nott, p. 186 4. We teach you not only to use magic but to control it. ~ Dumbledore to Riddle, p.273 5. Stop bossing me around . ~ Ron to Hermione, p. 293 6. The i...

Tagged by Genebei , I'm going numerical today focusing on number 8. My life seems to be attached to 8 in several instances. It's the end number on years I remember as some of my milestones: 1978 - started school 1988 - hit by Cupid 1998 - revised application of a few theories after making wrong personal and professional moves 2008 - caught a positive turn-around; resolved to keep it that way Guided by a belief that 8 is a lucky number, my father chose 8 as the date on my BC when he sorted a registration error. 8 Things I'm Looking Forward To ~another weekend of fun in the countryside! ~hearing from VinD ~meeting the parents of kids at Cj's McDonald birthday party ~sightseeing that goes with an upcoming, out-of-town faculty meeting ~Harry Potter 6 in July! ~trip to Hongkong with a co-old maid ~the return of Cj's yaya from her vacay (I'm tired of baby-sitting) ~receiving my maximum salary again in a few weeks 8 Things I Did Yesterday ~paid my internet and phone bi...

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger named Miranda from the blog The Times of Miranda . She thanks to Mud for prodding some fodder her way, in the way of a meme. But, it was probably stolen at that blog as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Cheers to us all thieves! Join the fun . 1. What are your current obsessions? travelling and quaint cottages 2. Which item from your wardrobe do you wear most often? my old maid work uniform 3. What's for dinner? eating out by and by at a restaurant called Banana Leaf 4. Last thing you bought? food 5. What are you listening to? Dobby speaking to Harry (son is watching HP2 a few inches away) 6. If you were a god/goddess who would you be? Isis 7. Favorite holiday spots? beach and mountain resorts 8. Reading right now? RD, December 2006 9. 4 words to describe yourself. bored, resolute, robot, hopeful 10. Guilty pleasure? unplanned shopping; it happens once in a blue moon...

Update 29.04.09: I was high on nothing when I posted this entry. I guess I should put a few things right. It's Monday, I know, and my first time to play so I hope it's ok :-) 1. Have you ever been told that you look like some [one] famous? Nope. Edit: not 'look' but behave like Anne Shirley of Green Gables. 2. Name a celebrity that shares your birthday. Cameron Diaz (Warren Buffet and Mary W. Shelly) 3. Tell us about your first kiss. "Wet," that's Harry Potter's answer and mine too 4. When you meet someone attractive, what do you notice first? The face 5. What was your biggest mistake ever? Panicking at a wrong decision I made 6. Give us one random, but candid fact about you. I love to eat and travel 7. What about your current or most recent lover excites you? ? Edit: his wicked smile 8. What really annoys you? Lagging behind on things that matter to me 9. How many other Saturday 9’ers answers do you usually read? About three today as I have just disco...

It's now Tuesday but better late than never. 1 . What is your current obsession? the English countryside! 2. What’s a good coffee place? in front of my pc 3. Who was the last person that you hugged? my son 4. Do you nap a lot? when not sticking my nose on the computer 5. Tonight, what’s for dinner? shrimp balls, fried tuna with kentucky beans and grape juice 6. What was the last thing that you bought? dinner 7. What is your favorite weather? 28 degrees C, clear blue skies 8. Tell us something about one blogger who you think will play this week? she's very busy 9. If you were given a free house that was full furnished, where in the world would you like it to be? definitely in the English countryside! 10. Name three things that you could not live without. my son, internet, my dog 11. What would you like in your hands right now? an assault helicopter 12. What’s one of your guilty pleasures? eating alone at expensive restaurants 13. What would you change or eliminate about yourse...

Another tag was passed on to me by Genebei . Thank you. I like the picture attached to this tag :) The picture shows a very cute strawberry formed like a heart that is placed in an "intimate" way nearest to the heart to show that a person filled with love is interesting and attractive. The rule of this tag is to answer the questions below on your own. A# Attached or Single? Single B# Best Friend? my poodle :) C# Cake or Pie? cake, moist chocolate please D# Day of Choice? Saturday E# Essential Item? computer with internet F# Favorite Color? nowadays it's lilac G# Gummie Bears or Worms? Gummie Bears H# Hometown? South Cotabato I# Favorite Indulgence? Durian and choco macadamia ice cream from iBerry J# January or July? January K# Kids? Yeah one boy L# Life isn't complete without....? achieving my freaking goals M# Marriage date? I forgot when was it exactly but it's either the 10th or 11th of March N# Number of magazine subscriptions? zero; it used to be Reader...

JK Rowling is one author who not very long ago had me coming back for more (and more, and wishing for more). In the middle of writing my master's thesis, two friends invited me to visit England so I happily stuffed my excited butt on a jet and flew in. My fascination for Harry Potter became more intense in the moors of Goathland where I took a morning walk. HP fans would know that North Yorkshire is a filming location of HP2; the scene below where Ron and Harry travelled to Hogwartz in the Flying Car. I promised myself that right after the gradschool dean tells me "You passed," I'm going to have a Harry Potter pleasure reading spree! I've been a bit hooked on the books since then; also roaming the net for anything about HP. Audience group for HP is supposed to be composed of teenagers or younger than teenagers, right? I'm sure I'm too old for HP; but then not as old as my ex sis-in-law who is around fifteen years older than I. She's a doctor; you know...