Cowboys Tech Talk

Cowboys Tech Talk

Wow, my first big earthquake experience happened this morning at 4:30ish.  My bed started shaking enough to wake me up and freak out my dog.  When I jumped up and tried to go to my daughter’s room, I fell back onto the bed as the floor was not so stable.  Nothing fell off the walls or anything like that.  We just heard a low rumbling sound and the large furniture was shaking, and making noise as well.  It felt like being on an earthquake movie set…except for REAL!

I’d love to hear what you experienced.

Rowling has done it again with Deathly Hallows. This book is one of my favorites. With such high expectations for a book, I was prepared to be disappointed. Who could possibly write something that would end such a saga in a way that is satisfying? J.K. that’s who! From the very beginning, this book grabs you and holds on tight.

The scenes are described so vividly I could picture in my mind what was happening as if I was watching it happen on the big screen. The film makers have their work cut out for them on this one. I don’t want to give anything away since many of you are still reading, so I’ll talk in code.

Snape: Loved the way that one unfolded. I wasn’t really surprised, but it could have gone either way.

Dumbledore: (yes, Dumbledore) It is about time we got the low down on why he did some of the things he did. I like the way she reveals information about him. I also like the final meeting. (code)

Neville: I’ve always liked Neville. It was fun to see him turn rebel and……well you know what I mean. (code)

The Will: It is so easy to hate the Ministry. Of course a certain lovely patronus saw to it that Harry got what was rightfully his. (code)

The Chamber: I did think of a way to destroy the horcruxes. It was the way they finally did…all except for that one….(code)

House Elves: They play a surprisingly important role in the story. I liked the changes that took place with one, and understood what happens with another. It worked out like it should have. The characters acted true to their nature. (code)

Malfoy: The whole family is the pitts! One does finally show a little backbone….but very little! I’m still a little perplexed about the ownership of the you know what. (code) That might have been a bit of a stretch, but the only one I can think of. Maybe someone can explain that to me?

Some favorite moments include the army of desks, the meeting with Dumbledore, the basement at Malfoy’s, and the showdown on the lawn. (code)

In closing, I want to thank Rowling for creating such a fine tale whose theme of friendship and love conquers all runs clearly through all of the books. Her characters are believable because they are flawed, as are we all, yet they manage to pull together when it really counts and are always above all else loyal to each other.

I went to the midnight showing of OOTP, curiosity got the best of me.  The movie was excellent, as they always are.  The humor was particularly enjoyable this time.  My favorite character was Luna Lovegood.  Her strange comments and spaced out demeanor make her fun to watch and difficult to figure.  We learn much about her character when she and Harry visit the forbidden forest to give a snack to the critters.  Who takes more than one type of snack to give, just in case they don’t like it?  Luna has character, courage, composure, and compassion.  Her ability to deal with the ignorance of those around her as they tease her for being different is exemplary.

On to those I don’t like so much.  Of course Delores from the Ministry is not going to make anyone feel warm and fuzzy inside.  What I enjoyed most about her is the absolute contrast in what she projects to the world, and how she is on the inside.  The casting director did a great job in selecting her.  She is just as I imagined.

Disappointing was the very limited appearance of Remus and Hagrid.  As always, time is an issue.  I’m sure squeezing the contents of a nearly 1,000 page novel into a 2 to 3 hour movie is not easy.  Some characters/scenes are going to get hacked in the editing room.  I would liked to have seen more from the occlumency tutoring sessions with Harry and Snape.  They left out much of the content there and it was more important than some of the other parts omitted.  I felt the information Harry learns from Snape when he fights back is very valuable in understanding Snape….which any true Potter fan wants to do since serious questions about his character have been raised in each of the books.

Jenny, Fred, and George Weasley are becoming some of my favorites.  I love the way Jenny surprises everyone with her magical fighting ability.  She packs a big punch!  Fred and George are vital to keeping things from getting to serious.  At just the right moments, they ‘pop’ in and supply a bit of much needed humor.

Now that the suspense is over for OOTP, I have one more major WAIT to deal with.  July 21st can’t get here soon enough!

Richview Tech Lit Students, Answer these questions for extra credit.                                                         (of course you have to explain your answers)

Who was the biggest disappointment in the OOTP movie?

What was left out of the movie (besides what I mentioned) that you most would have liked to see?

Have a great rest of the summer, see you on the 9th, or 11th of August.

This bog is dedicated to keeping parents and students of Richview Middle School informed about the latest happenings at our school and in the technology world. Students and parents are welcome to add their wisdom and opinions to this blog, remembering that comments must remain school appropriate. Thanks for participating, I look forward to sharing ideas with you.