"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present."
Friday, February 25, 2011
Four Day Weekend / Graduation
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: pages 86-159
Harry was muttering the name Gregorovitch in his sleep. Harry realizes that he was seeing through Voldemort’s eyes in his dream and he thinks he recognizes the name Gregorovitch. Harry perks up when he remembers that it’s his seventeenth birthday, and the Trace (a spell with which the Ministry of Magic can track any spell cast by an underage wizards) is broken, allowing him to practice magic freely. Ginny draws Harry into her room and gives him a passionate kiss, but Ron breaks in angrily and interrupts them. Rufus Scrimgeour, the Minister of Magic, who insists on speaking to Harry, Ron, and Hermione in private interrupts Harry's party. Scrimgeour has brought each of them a bequest from Dumbledore’s will. Dumbledore has left Ron a device called a Deluminator, a device that can suck all the light out of a room or turn the light on again. He left Hermione a copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a collection of fairy tales familiar to virtually everyone raised by wizards. To Harry, Dumbledore bequeathed the first Snitch he ever caught, saved from his first Quidditch match. Dumbledore’s will also bequeathed to Harry the sword of Godric Gryffindor, but Scrimgeour maintains that the sword was not Dumbledore’s to give. Harry takes the snitch in his hand and it does not open. After Scrimgeour has gone, Harry reminds his friends that he caught his first Snitch in his mouth, though he avoided mentioning this fact in front of Scrimgeour. Now he places the Snitch in his mouth again, and though it does not open, words appear on it: “I open at the close.”
On the afternoon following Harry’s birthday, the Weasleys host the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour. To keep secret the fact that he’s hiding at the Weasleys’, Harry takes Polyjuice Potion to disguise himself as a red-headed boy from the village, passing himself off as the Weasleys’ Cousin Barny. After the wedding ceremony, Krum takes a seat next to Harry and asks him about Xenophilius Lovegood. Krum is infuriated by the symbol Xenophilius wears, recognizing it as a symbol associated with the Dark wizard Grindelwald. Krum’s grandfather had been among those murdered by Grindelwald, and Krum had seen the triangular eye symbol at his school where Grindelwald had carved it into the wall. In his agitation, Krum takes out his wand and taps it menacingly against his own leg, prompting Harry to remember where he had heard the name Gregorovitch. It is the name that belongs to the famous wand maker who made Krum’s wand. Aunt Muriel had rumors of Dumbledore and got them from a woman who lived in Godric’s Hollow (the town where Harry was born and where his parents were murdered) at the same time that Dumbledore’s family lived there. Harry is shocked at these reports about his dead friend, not least that Dumbledore lived in Godric’s Hollow like Harry, and that they both have relatives buried there, yet Dumbledore never saw fit to mention these things to Harry. The wedding celebration is cut short by the appearance of Kingsley Shacklebolt’s Patronus, a silver lynx. (A Patronus is a charm that witches and wizards use to send out an animal-shaped manifestation of themselves. It can be used to send messages, and is also one of the only things that can ward off a dementor.) The lynx tells the guests that Scrimgeour is dead, the Ministry has fallen, and the Death Eaters are coming.
Reflection
Well I am glad Harry is safe and sound at the beginning of the chapter six. Hermione tells them all about what they have to do in order to kill Voldemort. I am glad that Ron and Hermione decided to stick next to Harry's side through out the whole thing. I mean Hermione basically fell off the face of the Earth just to protect and go with Harry. And then Ron made up a lie that he got a disease. But hopefully they can find all of the Horcruxes and kill Voldemort because I really do not like him. I also think that all of the gifts that Dumbledore has given Harry, Ron, and Hermione will come in handy. He was a very intelligent guy and always had reasons. I feel like their gifts will become very useful. Also, the wand thing, I still think Dumbledore has the most powerful wand and that both Harry and Voldemort want it. That is why Harry sees the wand maker through Voldemorts eyes. He is trying to find the most powerful wand. It really sucks that the wedding got attacked by Death Eaters. Would you like that to happen on your wedding day? I did not think so. My mom believes that if you have a good wedding, your love will not last, but if you have a bad wedding; your love will last forever. I guess theirs is lasting forever.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
2.23 Diction Exercise
A. cruddy
evil
rain
kill
no take backs
shut up
crudded-out
bash
cruddiest
B. laconic impotence of literal connotation
vague repetitiveness of low elevation of diction
bleak monotonous of harsh sound
bland lethargy of concrete diction
C. The ambiguous monotony in the book Cruddy by Lynda Barry deduces an inane of bitter antagonism toward the authors approch to situations.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: pages 43-85
Harry wakes up, the injuries he sustained in the chase healed. Hagrid and Harry find an anxious Mrs. Weasley awaiting them at the Burrow. None of the others who helped transport Harry has arrived yet. Lupin arrives with George Weasley, who has had his ear cut off by a curse from Snape, who was among the attackers. Realizing that they must have been betrayed, Lupin tests whether Harry is who he appears to be by asking what animal was in the room when Harry first met him in his office. Harry answers correctly that it was a grindylow. Kingsley and Hermione arrive safely, then Mr. Weasley and Fred, then Ron and Tonks, then Bill and Fleur. Bill and Fleur describe how they saw Mundungus Fletcher panic and disapparate, leaving Mad-Eye to die by Voldemort’s curse, right at the beginning of the chase. The entire party discusses how their plans might have been betrayed to Voldemort, noting that Voldemort apparently did not know of the plan to use the six Harry decoys. His scar throbbing, Harry goes outside to get some air, and as the pain in his scar reaches its peak, he can hear Voldemort berating and torturing his prisoner, the famous wand maker Ollivander, who had told Voldemort that the connection between Harry’s wand and Voldemort’s could be circumvented by Voldemort’s attacking Harry with a borrowed wand. Ollivander’s proposed scheme did not work, and the wand Voldemort borrowed from Lucius Malfoy is now shattered and useless.
Reflection:
I think that Harry and all of his friends are very courageous because I could never go up in the air dressed and looked alike some one else and risking my life for them. Well maybe if he was the "chosen one." But I am not in the magic world unfortunately. I am sad mad-eye is dead. He did scare me a little bit, but I just think he did because in one of the other movies he was actually a Death Eater pretending to be mad-eye. But now the real one is gone. I think something has to do with the wand that Voldemort and Harry are using because if Voldemort is worried about it, it must be important. I do remember reading somewhere that Dumbledore's wand was the most powerful, maybe one of them have it, or is out to get it. Does anyone else want to be in a magic world with me? I feel like that would be really fun but scary.
Birthday
He has been waiting to decorate the back of his basement for a long time now. It is where he keeps his x-box so it is basically his man cave. Well I called his mom first, to make sure it was okay with her, and she said, "Oh, of course!" So I got him that. Funny story, the next day, after I bought the spray paint, my boyfriend goes up to his mom and asked if he could use spray paint to decorate the basement. His mom told him no!! Out of the question!! Too messy! I would never let you do that! He started to get upset and asked his mom well can't we at least talk about it? Mom said maybe after I get back from Vegas maybe. End of argument. Funny part about it is that his mom already said yes and I already bought it for him and he is getting upset about it. YEAH go me and his mom!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: pages 1-42
Snape and the Death Eater Yaxley meet outside of Lucius Malfoy’s house and proceed inside, taking seats at a table where Voldemort and his followers are already assembled. Snape tells Voldemort that Harry Potter is to be moved from his place of safety. Yaxley claims that he has heard contradictory intelligence, and that Harry is to be moved later, on the thirtieth of the month. Voldemort indicates that he knows the source of Snape’s intelligence, and he makes it plain that he believes Snape rather than Yaxley. Yaxley, trys to seeks Voldemort’s approval by revealing to him that he has corrupted a member of the Ministry of Magic, a wizard named Pius Thicknesse. Yaxley reports that several Death Eaters are also positioned within the department of Magical Transport, making them better able to track Harry if he tries to travel by magical means. Voldemort announces that he plans to capture Harry while he is being transported. Voldemort makes Lucius Malfoy lend him his wand. Voldemort taunts Lucius and the rest of the Malfoy family, accusing them of being uncomfortable with his presence. Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy’s sister, declares that his presence is the greatest possible pleasure, but Voldemort taunts all of them about the fact that Narcissa and Bellatrix’s niece (Nymphadora Tonks) has just married Remus Lupin, the werewolf.
Harry goes to his room where he has spent the morning sorting the belongings in his school trunk into things he’ll no longer need, and a smaller pile of things he will keep with him now that he’s left Hogwarts and is about to leave the Dursleys’. Harry reads two newspaper articles commemorating Albus Dumbledore. “Albus Dumbledore Remembered,” by Dumbledore’s schoolmate and longtime friend, Elphias Doge, describes Dumbledore’s brilliant career at school, despite his having a father imprisoned at Azkaban for attacking Muggles; his relationship with his younger brother, Aberforth; his struggles following the deaths of his mother and sister; his triumph over the Dark wizard Grindelwald in a famous duel in 1945; and his brilliant career as headmaster. Harry feels regret that he knew so little of what there was to know about Dumbledore’s life and wishes he’d asked Dumbledore about himself. The second article is an interview with the journalist Rita Skeeter, who has just written a biography of Dumbledore called The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. In the interview, Skeeter indicates that her book debunks the supposed accomplishments that Dumbledore is famous for, reveals dark secrets about his family, and depicts Dumbledore’s relationship with Harry Potter in a sinister way. Harry then picks up a piece of glass on the floor and sees a flash of blue. The only time he has ever seen that bright of blue was in Dumbledore's eyes.
Harry’s uncle Vernon retrieves Harry from his room. Harry goes downstairs to find all three Dursleys sitting in the living room dressed for traveling. Uncle Vernon announces that he’s changed his mind: He doesn’t believe Harry that Uncle Vernon and the Dursleys are in danger, and he’s not going into hiding with the help of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry explains that once he turns seventeen, the protection charm that keeps them all safe will break, and Voldemort and the Death Eaters will torture and kill the Dursleys. The Ministry of Magic cannot protect them because the Death Eaters have already infiltrated it. Dudley breaks in and announces that he’s going to go with the representatives of the Order, so Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia have no choice but to acquiesce as well. Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle, members of the Order of the Phoenix, arrive to take the Dursleys into hiding. Dudley surprises his own family and Harry by inquiring where Harry is going to go. And they are all about ready to depart the Dursleys household.
Reflection:
I thought because the first movie was out I should probably read it so I can know what happens in the second half of the movie. I do not want to surprise my self in the theaters. I think the book so far is good. The action is starting off right away, which is what I like. I also enjoy how everyone is over at the Dursley's house all trying to free Harry and get him somewhere safe. Even his mean half brother Dudley is trying to help him. I just hope the Death Eaters will not take Harry or anyone else on while trying to get him out of the safe house. Maybe they will be wrong about the date and time. I sure hope so! Oh and I never did like Lucius Malfoy. Well I thought he was always bad until the sixth movie/book. He did not want to kill Dumbledore, but Snape had to go and do it anyway. And what makes it worse is that Dumbledore trusted him. I actually had know idea what side he would be on. Dumbledore trusted him, but so did Voldemort.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
A Modest Love by Sir Edward Dyer
I like love poems they remind me of the idea that everyday someone will find their true love. Plus they always make my heart beat a little faster and warm up just a degree higher. I believe this poem is talking about how even animals can love. Animals have hearts and therefore have the feeling to love as well. Also when it talks about the forest and the woods, I think it is saying that everyone has an opposite or a companion. Does anyone else think that there is at least one person out there for everyone? I sure do. You may go all your life search but not find him/her, you may search and find him/her, or you may not search and find him/her standing close by your side. However you find your love, there is always someone waiting for you to find them.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Valentines Day
Anyway going on the subject about showing affection, does anybody notice those couples at Homestead that basically make out all over each other in the halls? If you have not, they are always lurking in those tiny spaces in hidden hallways, take a peek once or twice and you will know what I am talking about. Or if they are really open about their relationship, some couples will just make out right there in the halls. Not to be mean, but these couples disgust me. Every time I walk by I crank my head the other way. I am just perfectly fine with a little peck on the cheek during school, but please do not take it too far that people start yelling at you to get a room.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
A Saint And A Criminal
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=1012427134481744604http://www.npr.org/2011/02/06/133542373/a-saint-and-a-criminal
Stumble
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Mockingjay: pages 101-390(end)
Katniss and Gale wanted to get actual action in the war against the capital. So the president of District 13 told them that they would be the face of the war. This means that they arranged a group of soldiers to go out into a district with Katniss and just film action shots only pretending to fight in the battle. When one of the members dies, the president sends another person to take his place. This person just happened to be Peeta. Just a few weeks ago however, Peeta tried to kill Katniss by choking her. The soldiers believed that the president was jealous of Katniss and wanted to get her killed by "accident" and having Peeta go was the perfect way to do it. Coin, the president of 13, just needed Katniss to unit the Districts which is what she did, now her job was done.
There are a lot of adventures that go through the shooting of the film. Katniss ends up actually fighting in the war and tries to take down the capital. I already ruined the whole book for you , but they ending you have to read yourself. This ending is great! It is the perfect way to end the series of the Hunger Games. I did not like on thing. I am going to spill, but remember how this whole war started? Katniss believed that the Capital was playing with the kids by putting them into the Hugner Games. Well towards the end of the book, Katniss votes to put all of the Capitals children into a Hunger Games and make them suffer like everyone else has in Districts. It was either they had the Hunger Games for just Capital children, they killed all the children, or let them free with no repremands. All of the victors go to choose, and Katniss chose the Games. The whole reason why they started this revolution is to end the games and the heirarchy in the Capital an Katniss just wanted them to basically start it right back up again. Do you also think this is a little hypocritical? I sure do!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Mocking Jay: pages 1-100
Katniss decides to officially become the mockingjay for the rebels, giving them hope and leadership. However, she does this only on conditions, Peeta and the other victors lives get spared when the come to district 13 (this is just incase they say something to hurt the rebellion). Katniss and Gale get to hunt outside of the walls because district 13 is underground and VERY strict! The president of 13, Coin, agrees to these messures, but if Katniss messes up, all the victors will be charged with the same crime (basically death).
Everyone decides that Katniss should show her rebellion side, but she can not do that without going into battle herself. So, Haymitch, Gale, and other gaurds take her to district 8 where she can see what is going on with her own eyes. As Katniss arrives she sees nothing but ashes besides a few buildings. As she goes inside she sees the wounded all around her calling out her name in the hopes that they will survive the rebellion. A few seconds later, Haymitch tells them that there will be an air strike here soon, so they try to flee but before they can, the first string of bombs deploy. Katniss and her guards run for cover. Before the second one comes, Katniss realizes that the bombers are aiming for the building full of wounded survivors. Katniss then runs on a roof with Gale and starts shooting the third string of air planes shooting one of them down. Upset Katniss stands her ground and the fourth string of bombers come through, but before they could bomb, Katniss and Gale shoot down 5 out of the 6 planes.
Katniss climbs down from the roof and there is a camera in her face to show that Katniss is the one to lead them against the Capital. As she realizes this, she tells the camera that this is war and if the capital burns the districs, the districts will burn them back.
Rebellion starts to happen. One thing I didn't put in there because it was a small part is that Peeta is alive in the Capital having no clue what is going on in District 13 or knowing if Katniss is still alive. I hope eventually they save him from those mean people and can live happily ever after. Well that and I hope that they win the rebellion. They have to don't they? I mean it would be a crappy book if they lost. Plus they good guys always win, and in this case, Katniss, Peeta, and the rebels are the good guys. Bad guys die!
Catching Fire: pages 253-391 (end)
They wake up the next morning to a dense fog coming their way, but Katniss realizes this is no fog. Everyone gathers their things and run away. Peeta ends up getting burn and scares from this so called "fog". It actually numbs your nerves so Peeta ends up going down forcing Finnick to carry him. Katniss runs for her life and they end up excaping it just in time. Katniss has arms that are uncontrollable as does Finnick. Peeta's legs are twitching as well. Katniss discovers that going into the lake by the Cornicopia helps the twicthing. Eventually those nerves start to come back and they have control again. But they still have scares that aer itching like crazy so Haymitch sends them itching cream. A few minutes later they are face to face with orange monkey's. Peeta accidentally takes one look at them and they all attack. Fortunatelly they make it out alive.
Another victor comes up to Peeta, Katniss, and Finnick asking to join their alliance. Katniss accepts and they end up figuring out the the arena that they are put in is a clock. At each hour something devistating happens. Fog, monkey's, wave of blood, acid rain, jabber jay with loved ones screams, distructive bugs, lighting each one comes right after another. Beetee another one of their alliances realizes that the only source of water is the Cornicopia therefore the other tributes have to be close by. Beetee comes up with an idea. They are going to put a wire that he carries around and tie it around a tree in the lighting area and run it all the way to the Cornicopia water. There for, if the victors are in any area of the beach, they will be eletricuted and die. Katniss and another allie run the wire up to the beach but it gets cut. Before Katniss can do anything the allie is on top of her telling her to shut up. Katniss is confused because the allie has hit her on the head with a rock thinking that she is betraying her. Other victors pass by and the allie leaves with them leaving Katniss there for death. However, Katniss gets up and try's to go back to the tree with the wire. There is no one insight. A few minutes later she finds BeeTee laying on the ground with the wire tied around a knife in his hands. Katniss remembers that Haymitch told her, "remember who your enemies are in the arena." Because of this she takes the wire and raps it around her bow shooting it into a force field around the arena. After this, there was an explosion.
Katniss is awaken to find herself in District 13.
WOO. There is a District 13. Okay so I really wanna know what happened to Peeta cause he is no were to be found amoung the District. However, Gale is there. I think I am leaning toward Peeta just becuase Katniss and Gale are more like best firends. I quess in the next book it starts the war between districts and the capital. Katniss is their mockingjay and they need her to lead the rebellion.