Hermione

Emma Watson, in her first outing as Hermione Granger in the film “Harry Potter and The Sorceror’s Stone,” 2001

“Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good is it? I've tried a few simple spells myself and they've all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, it's the best school of witchcraft there is I've heard - I've learned all the course books by heart of course. I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?”

Hermione Granger’s introduction to Harry Potter

There are a great many wonderful, interesting female characters in the Harry Potter series, but the young lady carrying the banner for feminism in the Potterverse is, unquestionably, one Miss Hermione Granger. I’ve enjoyed the series, I am going to miss these characters and Miss Granger in particular.

My younger sister has, in all fondness, suggested some alternate titles for “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows” - which are, of course, funny only to those who have read it. One was “Harry Potter Does Nothing and Hermione Granger Saves the Day.” Which isn’t really accurate at all but it does feel that way at certain times. Hermione outdid herself in this latest and last installment in the series. She went above and beyond to basically enable plot points that would have been impossible if Rowling had not accounted for them by bringing all the organization, clever planning and superior ability of her young female lead to bear.

My favorite of my sister’s alternate titles was, incidentally, “Harry Potter and the Endless Camping Trip.”

Very funny girl, my sister.

On the bright side, We have at least another couple years of Emma Watson reprising her role as the fiery young witch on the big screen. She has matured as an actor and she has brought a great deal of depth to her portrayal of this now practically iconic character.


Emma Watson in “Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets,” 2002

“Twitchy little ferret, aren't you, Malfoy?”

Emma Watson in “Harry Potter and Prizoner of Azkaban,” 2004

“I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled.”

Emma Watson in “Harry Potter and Prizoner of Azkaban,” 2004

“Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!”

Emma Watson in “Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire,” 2005

"Hermione," said Harry, shaking his head, "you're good on feelings and stuff, but you just don't understand about Quidditch."

"Maybe not," she said darkly, returning to her translation again, "but at least my happiness doesn't depend of Ron's goalkeeping ability."

Emma Watson in “Harry Potter and Order of The Pheonix,” 2007

“You said to us once before," said Hermione quietly, "that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time, haven't we?”

I'm so sad it's over.

The Need to Create

“Sometimes you've got to let everything go - purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything... whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you'll find that when you're free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.”

- Tina Turner

I have A LOT of projects at home that I was never able to finish these past few years. A quilt for a friend’s baby girl. A HUGE crocheted afghan blanket. A series of funky magnets to give as gifts. Dress patterns set aside when I lost the inspiration to sew them. A painting intended for this beautiful blank canvas that I just keep staring at. This new bread recipe I’ve been meaning to try. FOREVER.

I was very unhappy for... well, for almost two years. This blog is, in fact, the only thing I really accomplished during that time period that was even remotely creative. My ex and I would fight and I somehow felt angry at him and wanted to blame him for my lack of inspiration but somehow that felt absurd. Perhaps I wasn’t too far off. I mean, it’s not his fault I was WITH him, but I was miserable. That relationship ended and I had a creative voice again. I’ve been deeply entrenched in community theater for the past six months and now I am taking a break from the stage and remembering the blanket half finished in the back of my closet. And the gorgeous quilt squares. And the green fabric I bought for that dress pattern. And how long it’s been since I made homemade bread.

My fingers are itching to create something. And I can’t help but think it’s because I am happy and feel so unencumbered that I am free to create - whether it be a character on stage or paint on canvas. Tina knew what she was talking about, it's excellent advice.

Unlikely Domesticating Influences

I am one of those people who reads Dooce religiously. I have the most illogical reaction to Heather Armstrong’s acerbic tales of childrearing escapades and family hijinks. It makes having a kid sound like a REALLY GREAT IDEA. In spite of her child’s toilet training woes and tantrums and the fact that Heather is parenting while struggling with depression, the stories are hilarious and warm and nutty. I love their dog and Leta (her daughter) is gorgeous. Heather writes a letter to Leta every month chronicling that month of Leta’s life. I think this is brilliant and plan to do the same (although not on a blog) if and when I have children of my own.

Entries like this most recent one are the reason I can’t stay away from this blog and find myself thinking that having a child sounds pretty darn fun. Of course, she MAY just be a really clever writer and capable of making ANYTHING sound fun. Like running in circles in the living room? She makes that sound GREAT.

It’s probably good that she doesn’t work in advertising or do PR for the government.

Optimism

(Because what other choice do you have?)

“Love is an exploding cigar we willingly smoke.”

- Lynda Barry

Meet Cute

My blogability is broken. I am in a fairly new relationship. A relationship that may, in fact, be THE relationship. This has somehow scrambled my brain and left me incapable of coming up with topics that don’t involve gooey nonsense. I can’t even write anything satisfying about topics that DO relate to this new development in my life because I can’t find much in the way of references to the theme that most holds my interest right now...

That is: I want to find “how we met” stories. People MUST blog about this and have websites about this. The turning point stories in our lives; How We Began, When I KNEW and How We Said Goodbye are THE stories. Pivotal moments in our human interaction. Not just in our love lives, but in the tales of every relationship.

The moment I KNEW my closest female friend was a Friend for Life came when she tracked me down through a relative after years of separation. We were finally on the phone after SO MUCH TIME and I stammered apologies - amidst my shock - about how I wasn’t sure how it happened that we lost track or who was supposed to call who and she just said, “It doesn’t matter. I found you.” And that was IT. When I KNEW. Sometimes life is like that.

They (the infamous THEY) say that our lives are a series of moments. If we are lucky we can look back and see these moments in hindsight but they are invisible and fleeting while they take place in realtime. Every once in a while we have moments that are immaculate and important and we SEE them. It is wonderful to be living a great moment in your life and KNOW it is happening. You take a photograph with your mind. Your joy is magnified because it feels like a part of your larger journey in life and in those moments, life makes a great deal more sense.

You think, “OH. THAT’S why I’m here.”

Things become a little clearer.

I met someone. Ahem, I met someone TWO YEARS AGO. I was in the midst of a long term relationship. The someone I met left the job I met him through and, unbeknownst to me, moved to another town. Then, under tremendously unlikely circumstances, I met him again. Two months ago. In some strange unexpected way, everything has been brought into sharp focus and makes infinitely more sense to me than it did before.

As a result of my own serendipitous “meet cute” unfolding, I find myself suddenly fascinated by How We Met stories and looking for the invisible hand of fate at work in our daily lives.

...And I’m complete crap at blogging. But I’m working on it. And trying to write about ANYTHING else. Which is nearly impossible. I should get a gold star for the fact that I’m even trying.