Pottering about...

In light of the recent buzz over Harry Potter and the release of the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I got to thinking about what's going to happen in the series. Not being one of the obsessed, I wasn't lined up before midnight, dressed as Harry Potter or any of the other characters, frantically anticipating the release. In fact, it only took me about ten years to start reading the series... I currently have about 4,000 pages left, give or take a few hundred. In other words, I'm reading book two right now. Anyway, the reason I'm writing this is to tell you that I've figured out the surprise ending in the final book without having read it. It goes something like this:

Severus Snape is Harry Potter's mother.
"What?" you say, "You're crazy!" Not at all (well, maybe a little), but it'll all make sense in a second.
So, Snape is Harry Potter's mother. That's not all. Severus Snape is also Voldemort. If you remember back to when Voldemort killed Harry Potter's parents and left the lightning scar on Harry, Harry's father was the first to die. Harry's mother/Snape/Voldemort killed his father first, then attacked his mother. Now, since his mother was also Voldemort, when his mother 'died', Voldemort's power was destroyed. The scar on Harry was caused by shrapnel.

Now, fast forward to the end. Voldemort(/Snape/mother) confronts Harry and says, "Luk... err... Harry, I am your mother!" This is just too much for Harry to handle, as something in his mind snaps, driving him to insanity. At this point, Harry goes on a wild killing rampage, destroying the entire UK, before finally committing suicide.


Keep all this in mind as you read the last book. You'll see how uncannily accurate it is.

Come to think of it, I should have thought of all this on the 20th... Oh yeah, this post contains spoiler warnings.

Hmm, I wonder how many hits I'll get because I mentioned 'Harry Potter'? Harry Potter Harry Potter Harry Potter Harry Potter Hermione Granger Ron Weasley Albus Dumbledore Severus Snape Hagrid Harry Potter Harry Potter

That is all.

Corny, ain't it?

There's been corn in them thar fridges as of late. During my most recent corn consumption with Holly, I started thinking about how people eat corn, because there are quite a few different ways and people are usually quite set in their own way. There are several basic types of eaters (like dancing...): the circle/ring eater, the spiral eater, the row/typewriter eater, and the Space Invaders eater. The ring eater eats around the corn cob, slowly advancing to the side as each ring is completed. The spiral eater is similar, but eats in one continuous spiral. The typewriter eats a row at a time, like a typewriter. The Space Invaders eater is similar to the typewriter eater, but moves like the aliens in Space Invaders, side to side.

All of these basic types move 'down' the cob, turning the cob upward as progress is made. I can't recall anybody that moves the other way, eating 'up'. If you are, let me know. There's also the issue of eating with your top, bottom, or all your teeth. I mostly use my bottom teeth and scoop up to the top. Other people dig down with their top teeth, while others still use both.

I'm a modified ring eater. I eat my corn in rings, advancing from the tip to the base... until I get to about 3/4 of the way. Then I eat a ring or two off the end before finishing it off. Holly, on the other hand, always eats a little off each end to create handles. From there, who knows? She likes to play and make patterns.

Speaking of playing, there were lots of ways we played with eating. I remember as a kid, my brother would sometimes eat a single kernel at a time. I would eat and skip rings. I've played with the typewriter method, but it always felt wrong. Holly and her brother would eat words and patterns, or eat spirals.

So, how do YOU eat your corn?

That is all.

Happy Canada Day!

Yep, Canada is 140 years old today. But don't tell the government that; they think it's tomorrow... According to their official statutory holiday policy, if July 1st falls on a Sunday, then Canada Day is July 2nd. Indeed.

Anyway, go have a 2-4 of beer and some flapjacks, eh! Now take off, ya hosers!

* Animated flag courtesy of webanimations.co.uk. Life on the Web. I couldn't find my old animated flag, but this one looks better anyway!

That is all.