03/01/2002 - 10:50 p.m.

If you'd read "Hogwarts: A History"...

Technically, I'm too busy to do this. I'm far too busy to answer e-mails, or get myself down to the post office (that involves asking the grown-ups, and I hate doing that), or, you know, do that entire French packet that's screaming at me, but I'm not to busy to babble on here, or to read that HP book. I thought I'd read the 4th one, turns out I'd only read up to the 3rd. Funny, it FELT like I'd read four books, and this one's bloody long, and I'm reading it because Carin thrust it at me and said, "here, read this and try to tell me you don't like it".

Well, I've been trying to work out exactly why I'm not nuts over Harry Potter. Now, if I'd been nine or ten when the books came out, I'm sure I'd be gone and lost on them, but now, I just see too many issues. One of the things that drives me nuts about fantasy is when the line between reality and fantasy is so hazy that the author can't remember where it is. Her wizards are just too Muggle-y half the time, except when they're trying to be Muggle-y and then they're absurd. Why would wizards who fly around on broom sticks call a cupboard that you keep cleaning supplies in a broom cupboard? Obviously they must have a method different from brooms to clean floors, and yet... This whole electricity fasination thing bothers me too- these wizards haven't heard of lightning? That's as natural and magic a form of energy possible- batteries I understand, but why this electronic fix? It bothers me when the details are screwy- I'm reading a fantasy work in progress that manages it's diversions from reality better than that.

I think that's the real problem, I could handle her obvious stealing and twisting of other people's stuff if she would just manage to keep her own straight. Basically, I don't fancy the books, but I don't have a vedetta against those that do, because I know I would've loved it if I were younger. I also believe that it is a lot better than a lot of the obvious crap kids are being fed. I worry about those kids in the movie, they're stuck doing this for the next few years, I worry most for HP himself- he was wonderful in David Copperfield. I believe Daniel Radcliffe is either destined to fade away as soon as this all dies off, or he'll never get past this- if he does anything else, it won't matter. He'll be Harry Potter the same way Judy Garland was Dorothy Gail (they ask her DAUGHTER to sing the song simply because her mother did it).

Anyway, anyone who thinks it's about time to hear from me properly, well, all my love and know it'll be along sooner or later.

I have a lot of other stuff I could get into, but I haven't got the time because it's after 11 and I have things left to do that I just remembered about. Damn.