Of course, the term "New Age" isn't new anymore, and I vividly remember hearing this type of music for the first time. For me it had to be Enya's "Orinoco Flow," so that's the first video. It was such a beautiful video and her voice sounded unearthly.

And it came out back in 1988!!! Which seems so long ago now - my daughter was one year old and this week on the 7th of September she turned 22. Wow. I'm really nostalgic now.

The "New Age" category was actually added to the Grammy Awards back in 1987, the year she was born. It was certainly a "new age" for me being a mother for the first time!

We had a stack of Windham Hill tapes back then and would play them in the car to get our daughter to sleep.  These songs are a bit hard to describe ~ they are like "world music," "celtic," "cool jazz," and "tribal" all thrown in together.





( More Under the Cut ... Relax and Enjoy )

I hope Luna'sCeiling had a great birthday yesterday!

A Bear and a Groundhog Causing Havoc in New Jersey

DNA Evidence on a Remote Island May Reveal the Truth About Earhart's Disappearance

According to one writer at the New York Times, viewers of HBP are questioning all the downing of liquid refreshment by underage teens in the movie:

Harry Potter and the Pint of Liquid Courage

Does Hogwarts have a drinking problem?

As Harry Potter fans crowd movie theaters to catch the latest installment in the blockbuster series, parents may be surprised by the starring role given to alcohol. In scene after scene, the young wizards and their adult professors are seen sipping, gulping and pouring various forms of alcohol to calm their nerves, fortify their courage or comfort their sorrows.

...In one scene, Harry, Ron and Hermione order butterbeers at the pub, and Hermione ends up with a frothy mustache. While it’s never been entirely clear whether butterbeer is alcoholic, it seems to have an effect on the normally uptight Hermione, who acts tipsy walking home as she throws her arms around the boys.

( Read more... )

I found an interview with author Nancy Solon Villaluz. Her book Does Harry Potter Tickle Sleeping Dragons? analyzes the books based on JKR's interviews, comparing them to author's life history and attempting to show how JKR's Christian faith influenced the story. I don't know why that is exactly newsworthy since the author hinted at that herself for years, and anyone can read JKR's interviews on Accio Quote without buying a book about them. But I was more interested in the fact that JKR's attorneys made Villaluz change the original title of her book. According to the article:

Villaluz's book, published in November, did not go unnoticed by Rowling's team of lawyers, she said. The book is available through Amazon.com and at Barnes & Noble.

"I got a cease and desist order from her attorneys," Villaluz said. "They objected to the original title, 'Harry Potter and the Sleeping Dragon.' Once we changed it, they said they approved, and the fact that they've had the book since November and I haven't been sued, would indicate that they're OK with the content." Messages left with the New York lawyer's office for comment weren't returned Thursday.

Isn't that exactly what they did to StarKidPotter and his Musical two weeks ago when they forced them to change the title? I think these attorneys specialize in jerking people around just because they can. Using a line from a book for a title is not against Fair Use and it never has been, but they want to be intimidating to anyone who dares write a book about Harry Potter.

I made a couple of new friends on Chamber of Secrets Forum yesterday. Both of them are in middle school, and they both were surprised that I was a Mom with kids their age or older. I took that as a great compliment - they thought I was having too much fun to be an adult. LOL

But isn't that what adulthood is supposed to be about? Isn't that our fantasy while growing up that when we reach this magical plateau of adulthood we will have everything we want? Of course it isn't like that - there are no Prince Charmings, there are no instant successes, there are no magical solutions to problems like grocery bills and leaky water heaters, and I would never tell a child that. But I think every adult needs to re-learn how to play around and have fun. Don't forget what makes you happy in a silly way, as when you were a child. Don't take yourself too seriously.

For instance, I just went out to get the mail on this hot summer day, and I realized that envelopes in a hot mailbox still have the same papery-sweet smell as they did when I was 12 years old and new Summer Weekly Reader arrived on my birthday, with a picture of Johnny Whittaker from Sigmund and the Sea Monster on the cover.

And it's still just as sweet at my age now to know that I have friends nice enough to wish me Happy Birthday, so thank all of you for the pictures of cakes, strawberries, candy apples, and good wishes. I am blessed, and I'm going to keep having fun with all of you until they pry this keyboard out of my hands.

( Now Let's Have a Laugh or Two Before We Get Any Older!!!!!!!!!!!!!! )

Happy Birthday!!!

Professor Snape has dropped by the party on Chamber of Secrets Forum, and there is plenty of cake!!! So please visit and leave a birthday message!




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Today is my birthday, so it's exactly one year since Deathly Hallows, and I'm feeling sentimental. Last year I spent my birthday drinking wine and sobbing over the deaths of Dobby and Severus. I was in awe and totally devastated at the same time. It was definitely like A Tale of Two Cities - the best of times, and the worst of times.

This year I can't believe how much has happened in a year of Fandom highs and lows.

Please share your thoughts on this subject if you like.

And for my best friends, the Snape Fans of the World, who really are some of the best friends I've ever had, please watch this homage to Snape with alot of our favorite quotes. The music is the lovely "A Day Without Rain" by Enya.  

Just in the past week, I've come across people who just do not understand to this day why anyone would be a true Snape fan, but I'm through apologizing for it. Anyone who doesn't get it, please just read these quotes from Deathly Hallows and think about it again. 

. . . . . . . . . . . .

And also Happy 18th birthday to my dear son, John!