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Thursday, December 27, 2007

wanna say

THANK YOU to the following people:

for my daughter's gifts -


Ria, daughter of dr. louie
Dianne, daughter of errol, roel's kumpare
tita Ria
tita Mae
lola Precy
lola Ade
tito Sonny
mama Laly
ate Marie
ate Richelle, daughter of Richello, roel's nephew
ninong Joel and tita Patty
ninong Coco and tita Patit
tita Grace

ninang Rej and kuya Eejay
tito Ryan
grandpa Paul
grandma Au
mamita Char
ninong Louie
tita Des, tito Jun, ate Maica and Craig
tita Beng, kuya John, kuya Josh, kuya Echo and ate Jewel
tita Mil

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

december 22-25

dec. 22, we attended ate mae's, roel's cousin, birthday at cainta. ate mae's mother, sister and brother-in-law is here for a holiday vacation. also roel's aunt is there, tita precy and hubby, they're already migrated to canada. they already gave their gifts for the kids. the cousins of course had their session and videoke singing. we went home 12 midnight. france is enjoy watching videoke, dancing and playing with other kids there. by the way, roel is not with us, i tagged along our maid, marie, for assistance.


dec. 23, we attended serrano clan's reunion at san juan, manila. this year's reunion was not that successful as last year or any other year. coz most of roel's cousins attended ate mae's birthday. still we had a tableful of food, we had videoke session. we went home 9:30pm. it's kinda boring. =(



dec. 24, is a very busy day for us here... tito dom, tita min and kuya louie visited us, unfortunately wasn't able to go home after having lunch at my tita au's house coz their car wasn't starting. we looked for mechanics... in the end, it's kuya's uncle who came to the rescue.. but still no luck. they had dinner here and they slept at my tita char's house. while i'm attending to my tita, tito and cousin, roel is wrapping our gifts for tomorrow.

dec. 25, 2am our friends we're here for our yearly get together after Christmas. of course, we had session and lotsa food because tomorrow is joel's birthday and their (joel and patty) wedding anniversay, they brought 2 gsm blue, spag and lotsa calamares. we were suppose to have an exchange gift but we postponed it coz sonny is in bicol... we might do it on new year. we packed up 5:15am. we slept at 6am, where france was about to wake up.



food and 'spirit'

my hubby's singing

Coco sleeping


we ate lunch at roel's house, but before going there we went at daphne's house to give my gift to my goddaughter, anette, her 2nd child. after having lunch and before going home, i accompanied ditse iza at pacita to pick up his son, gabby.

by 7pm, we were at my tita au's house for our yearly 'reunion'. we ate dinner by 7:45pm and by 9pm we had 1 game, our game master was ate desil, who just arrived that morning from canada with her family. group 1 won the charade game... ang galing ni ate lot eh, she knows almost all the english christmas songs. =D after the game, our little santas started distributing the gifts. we went home 11pm, very tired, busog and sleepy.

Monday, December 24, 2007

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

burpday session

last dec. 1, we had a session here at our house... pa-burpday ng barkada namin... syempre, food trip at inuman session yun... and here are the "michaels" (tawag namin sa mga lasheng o inaantok)

si burpday boy, kuya Sonny

si Rej kasi tanggera kaya tinamaan si Sonny,
Jo on the background

Patit, na mahilig mangulit

last dec. 15, we had another session coz it's roel's burpday. sorry don't have pics of the said session.. 2 lang silang nakatulog, si burpday boy at yung fafa ni patit, si coco. kokonti lang ang attendees mostly, dumaan lang kasi may mga pupuntahan the following day eh.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

i'm planning...

... to attend the end of term feast this dec. 29 of the php group i joined. it's 3-8pm only at makati. i'll bring along my daughter. i want to meet some of the fellow ravens. hhmm.. i'm still thinking about it... hindi pa ako nagpapaalam kay roel. parang nahihiya ako, na parang gusto ko. gosh. need to decide early.

here are the location maps:
map1
map2

Mama's blessings

Mama, bought a brand new red innova at toyota alabang last august, diesel, model J lang.. manual lahat.

we're using it for kids' check up, grocery and of course malling.

i can drive on highways pa lang... needs practice pa sa expressway... especially binabayaran pa ni Madir yung unit kaya ingat na ingat pa ako.

Serrano Clan '06

saw these pics from the Serrano Clan yahoogroups... these was taken at San Juan, Manila - Christmas Party '06. my ineng was only 16 months old then..






yearly they had Serrano Clan Christmas Party at San Juan.. pictures will be posted before Christmas next year... hahaha.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

hospitalized

last friday, i was admitted at the hospital for dengue.. 126 ang platelet ko noon. my bro and i shared room na lang kasi puno na... more on dengue cases sila. i was sad knowing that i'll miss my daughter.. i cried.

that morning, my bro undergo blood transfusion... he reached 46 platelet count. after the transfusion, he's recovering and his platelet count is starting to go up.

the whole day saturday and sunday, nagkulitan lang kami ni utol sa room... tawanan ng malakas. monday, lumabas na si utol... grabe one week siya dun (Dec. 3-10)... ako tuesday naman 5 days lang ako (Dec. 7-11). hindi ako nasalinan ng dugo, ayaw ng doctor ko, so after kong mag-43 na platelet count (nagsteady ata dun, twice kasi yung 43 na result ko), my doctor said that on the 3rd day eh aakyat na... which is true, 60 na next platelet count ko. thank God at tuluy-tuloy na ang pagtaas ng platelet count ko.

just want to say "Thank you" to the following:
tita Au
tito Paul
ate Mil
ate Nancy
tita Char
kuya Ely (for ron)
ate Beng
Doc Edz
sa tropa ko: Patit, Coco, Grace, Rej, Joel and Patty
to my in-laws: Ditse, Mommy and Daddy
especially to my hubby for being the driver, bantay and for just being there

saturday, pinalinis na namin ang buong bahay kina ate nancy at marie... nagpa-spray na rin kami ng waterbased-baygon.

thank God at hindi yung mga anak namin ni utol ang nagkasakit... okay lang na kami ng mga parents instead of them. mas mahirap kapag bata ang nagkasakit... you don't know kung anong masakit sa kanila.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

.... before Christmas...

13 days before Christmas... hindi pa kami namimili for our inaanaks, for the Dec 25 exchange gifts with relatives, pamasko ng anak ko at asawa ko. ako hindi na muna... maybe a blouse will do... bihira naman akong lumabas eh. si ineng ko, ang bilis lumaki eh... kaya we need to buy her clothes and sandals. no need to buy her toys, ang dami pang kinakalat eh... =D.

nagkasakit pa kami ni utol, kaya yung oras eh nakain sa pagbabantay sa hospital.

hopefully, by monday or tuesday next week, mamimili na kami at magbabalot.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

sana po hindi mahawa...

last sat, thank God my daughter's fine already... umattend na nga kami ng birthday ni kuya ed (husband of my sis-in-law), lunch naman yun eh, eat and run lang kami kasi nga kagagaling ni ineng... but we noticed that she's having rashes. the following day, while my bro is having her check up, my daughter had hers too... the pedia said that it was 'tigdas hangin', walang gamot, pero binigyan nya kami ng gamot in case daw mangati si frances.

i pray hindi sya mahawa sa akin though hindi viral ang sakit ko coz wala akong ubo't sipon. sana tuluy-tuloy na ang paggaling naming lahat so that we can decorate na our house. =D

"LORD, thank you po at magaling na ineng ko... sana po hindi sila mahawang mag-ama sa akin."

=( =( =( =(

my bro had fever last friday, we thought that it was just his feet (his usual 'problem') but when sunday came his fever reached 40.2 so we decided to take him to the hospital for check up. he had his CBC checked and he had urinalysis. the CBC result states the he has 186 platelet count (150-350 ang normal)... he also had UTI. the internist gave him antibiotic for his UTI and some meds for his fever and dry cough. that night, he didn't eat lunch and dinner but still he ask for his meds and i gave it. by dawn i heard that he's cough hard, and even vomits. by then we decided to take him again to the hospital and there again had his CBC... and the result is 146. so they decided to admit him to monitor his platelet.

when my bro is already in his room, i asked permission from the nurses' station that i'll just go home to get all his things and to pick up ate nancy (my tita's maid) as his bantay. sadly, it was a hospital rule that "patients should not be left alone". unfortunately too, our TODA had a strike... hindi sila nagpapasakay... tapat pa nung kailangan ko si ate nancy kaya hindi rin nakapunta agad. hay! i signed a waiver stating that i'll be back in 30 minutes, that i'll just pick up my bro's stuff and ate nancy. hindi pa ako nag-aalmusal nun, gutom na ako, mga 6am kami nagpunta hospital. i drove back home and in 15 minutes, we're back at the hospital. sa pacita lang naman naconfine si utol, at pinaready ko na dito ang mga gamit nya at pinalakad ko na lang si ate nancy dito sa amin para hindi na magko-consume ng time kapag sa bahay ko pa siya sinundo.

magulo ang setup namin, kung hindi ako nilalagnat, hindi na doon sa tita ko matutulog si macoy (my nephew). by morning, susunduin ko or hubby ko sila macoy at ate nancy, iiwan si macoy dito, then ihahatid si ate nancy sa hospital, palit na sila ng katulong naming si marie (siya kasi ang bantay sa gabi). kapag mga 4:30pm, ihahatid na si marie, palit na sila ni ate nancy, susunduin si macoy dito at ihahatid namin sa bahay. hay.

last monday, after been busy the whole day, nagkasakit naman ako.. nilalagnat ako. then this morning, nagpacheck up na ako... kasi on and off ang lagnat ko... of course, pina-CBC ako. thank God, mataas pa ang platelet count ko. kaya kapag nawala na raw ang lagnat ko tom, papa-CBC ulit ako or sa 5th day of incubation ng dengue which is sa friday.

as of 6pm, bumaba pa rin ang platelet count ni utol... naku, kung bababa pa yun tom, baka sasalinan sya ng dugo... =( we always tell him that he should help himself... kumain sya ng kumain at uminom ng uminom ng tubig, juice at milk.

nakakaawa kasi si madir, nasa malayo pa naman sya at alalang-alala. gusto na nga raw nya tuloy umuwi for good kasi nga feeling nya, pinababayaan namin mga sarili namin... ganyan talaga ang mga madir. sabi ko tuloy kay ma, "ma, malalaki na po kami, we just need your guidance hindi po bantay." baka kasi si madir naman ang magkasakit sa pag-aalala, wag naman po sana, Lord.

"LORD, i pray to you na tumaas na po ang platelet count ni utol ngayon overnight. Ako naman po eh sana hindi rin dengue itong sakit ko, wish ko po hindi na bababa ang platelet count ko at sana po gumaling na po ako. Please, LORD. Amen."

Friday, November 30, 2007

=(

my daughter is sick since last wednesday, she looks so weak. and she's very hot (39 degrees C) and she sometimes vomits... =( the doctor gave her antibiotic for her tonsilitis. now, we're observing her, sometimes she doesn't have the appetite to eat and she's still hot, we even used 'supository' for her fever. if she's still has high fever tonight, we might admit her and request for a CBC... it might be something else which i hope not. =(

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

HP 7 versions

when HP7 released, my hubby sent me a pdf copy of the so-called HP7... when i read it i find Harry different. when i got the chance to go to Festival Mall, i grabbed the chance of buying a 'real' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hardbound copy book. when i saw the title on chapter 1, there i realize that the pdf copy my hubby gave me is 'fake'. maybe it is the 'hacked' version. of course, i continued reading the original version... and after i followed reading the hacked version. it has a very big difference... the Harry in the hacked version is a alter image of the original Harry and the way he killed Voldemort is different. but i like both... it's cool. =D

Monday, November 19, 2007

sunday malling

yesterday, we went to Festival Mall to buy a new cp for my bro... he chose Sony Ericsson W300i.



before buying his cellphone, we went to Robinson's to buy new stroller for my nephew, macoy, and we bought a potty for my daughter.

this is the hand-me-down stroller of Frances, it is a decade old and the wheels are already ruined... now, it is retired

this is the new and simple stroller, where France can still use it whenever we go to the mall =D

this is the potty we bought


before we had our merienda, France and her Dada rode the carousel but France is afraid to ride a horse so Dada chose the elephant seat instead.


grabe, ang daming tao... it was sunday and weekend after ng sweldo, you know naman pinoys basta after sweldo nasa mall. =D sanay kasi ako weekdays mag-malling.

Friday, November 16, 2007

photography

just want to share this photo effects i use in taking picture of my daughter..

grayscale

sepia

mini sds


this pic shows my orig and bought mini sd memory card for my hubby's nokia 6288 mobile phone. the one on the left is the 64mb mem card while the other is the 512mb. now, i'm using the 512mb for more storage... for the meantime, i kept the 64mb.

lasheng


my nephew, macoy, nakatulog... sitting on his stroller. parang lasing... hahaha.
para bang behave? hehehe... ang likot at ang ingay nyan. =D

.. it starts with a simple appreciation


i like this improved nescafe 3-in-1 coffee. i tasted it when we we're with my hubby's group 'team building.' ang babaw ko no... i love coffee kasi kaya naisipan kong gawin ito. =D



i love this particular e-aji product from San Miguel Mills. i love its cheesy flavor. i hope hindi magbago, kasi di ba minsan 'nagbabago' ung lasa kapag medyo tumagal-tagal na... parang tinitipid na nila yung flavoring ek-ek.

Monday, November 12, 2007

busy??

i haven't posted anything here yet for almost a week.... been busy - -

personalizing my other sites like flixster, shelfari, tagged, hi5, multiply, myspace, etc.

i also joined another Harry Potter fanatics group and i was sorted at Ravenclaw house. yipii! and i'm trying to make friends (online) with the members and reading some of their forums for update.



we also went to southmall to buy what my bro will use for his work. yup, he's working. but i don't if he can finish his contract because of his feet.

we also went to harrison plaza, yes, in manila... coz my mom-in-law will be meeting someone for official and legal business and roel and i are very much needed. while waiting, frances and i stroll around and she



rode this ferrari for n times




i bought a pre-owned pda just to use it for ebook reading. after receiving it, i looked for pdf, rtf, lit converter for system compatibility. after few days of surfing and 'researching', i was lucky to find what i need.

i also became 'busy' with my sideline... i've been texting my 'supplier' for any orders i receive and meeting her to get the products.

of course, we sometimes have this short strolls at festival mall.

and last saturday, we went to cainta to attend a kiddie party... my hubby's niece to his cousin. this is the 1st party my daughter attended that she's in good mood, proof? she's dancing, she's with her fellow cousins sitting, watching the magic show and playing with them as 'saling-ketket'.


dancing frances

Sunday, October 28, 2007

funny dubbed movies

my friend, ryan , saw these funny dubbed-movies.

Bisaya dubbed - Troy


Bisaya dubbed with Tagalog subtitle - 300

human beatbox

Saturday, October 27, 2007

sinipag ang lola mo..

kagabi at kaninag umaga, sinipag ako na mag-ayos ng lumang laruan ng anak ko. tinapon ko na ang mga luma at sira ng laruan. tinago ko na rin ang mga laruang hindi na angkop sa edad nya. before, 2 medium-size and 1 big-size mobile boxes ang lalagyan nya ng toys... now, 1 big and 1 medium na lang... making more rooms for the toys na 'darating' for Christmas, if ever there are. hehehe.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

HP soundtracks

i joined this HP Fans at multiply.com, yes i have an account there-you can visit it, and i found these HP movie soundtracks, just want to share it with my fellow HP fans.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Friday, October 19, 2007

Stephen King on HP

Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling's Ministry of Magic

Now that the dust has settled on ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,'' Stephen King reflects on why no review did it justice, and whether kids (and their grown-ups) will ever read the same way again

by Stephen King

And so now the hurly-burly's done, the battle's lost and won — the Battle of Hogwarts, that is — and all the secrets are out of the Sorting Hat. Those who bet Harry Potter would die lost their money; the boy who lived turned out to be exactly that. And if you think that's a spoiler at this late date, you were never much of a Potter fan to begin with. The outrage over the early reviews (Mary Carole McCauley of The Baltimore Sun, Michiko Kakutani of The New York Times) has faded...although the sour taste lingers for many fans.

It lingers for me, too, although it doesn't have anything to do with the ultimately silly concept of ''spoilers,'' or the ethics of jumping the book's pub date. The prepublication vow of omertà was, after all, always a thing concocted by publishers Bloomsbury and Scholastic, and not — so far as I know — a part of either the British Magna Carta or the U.S. Constitution. Nor does Jo Rowling's impassioned protest (''I am staggered that some American newspapers have decided to publish...reviews in complete disregard of the wishes of literally millions of readers, particularly children...'') cut much ice with me. These books ceased to be specifically for children halfway through the series; by Goblet of Fire, Rowling was writing for everyone, and knew it.

The clearest sign of how adult the books had become by the conclusion arrives — and splendidly — in Deathly Hallows, when Mrs. Weasley sees the odious Bellatrix Lestrange trying to finish off Ginny with a Killing Curse. ''NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!'' she cries. It's the most shocking bitch in recent fiction; since there's virtually no cursing (of the linguistic kind, anyway) in the Potter books, this one hits home with almost fatal force. It is totally correct in its context — perfect, really — but it is also a quintessentially adult response to a child's peril.

The problem with the advance reviews — and those that followed in the first post-publication days — is one that has dogged Rowling's magnum opus ever since book 4 (Goblet of Fire), after the series had become a worldwide phenomenon. Due to the Kremlin-like secrecy surrounding the books, all reviews since 2000 or so have been strictly shoot-from-the-lip. The reviewers themselves were often great — Ms. Kakutani ain't exactly chopped liver — but the very popularity of the books has often undone even the best intentions of the best critical writers. In their hurry to churn out column inches, and thus remain members of good standing in the Church of What's Happening Now, very few of the Potter reviewers have said anything worth remembering. Most of this microwaved critical mush sees Harry — not to mention his friends and his adventures — in only two ways: sociologically (''Harry Potter: Boon or Childhood Disease?'') or economically (''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Discount Pricing''). They take a perfunctory wave at things like plot and language, but do little more...and really, how can they? When you have only four days to read a 750-page book, then write an 1,100-word review on it, how much time do you have to really enjoy the book? To think about the book? Jo Rowling set out a sumptuous seven-course meal, carefully prepared, beautifully cooked, and lovingly served out. The kids and adults who fell in love with the series (I among them) savored every mouthful, from the appetizer (Sorcerer's Stone) to the dessert (the gorgeous epilogue of Deathly Hallows). Most reviewers, on the other hand, bolted everything down, then obligingly puked it back up half-digested on the book pages of their respective newspapers.

And because of that, very few mainstream writers, from Salon to The New York Times, have really stopped to consider what Ms. Rowling has wrought, where it came from, or what it may mean for the future. The blogs, by and large, haven't been much better. They seem to care about who lives, who dies, and who's tattling. Beyond that, it's all pretty much duh.

So what did happen? Where did this Ministry of Magic come from?

Well, there were straws in the wind. While the academics and bighead education critics were moaning that reading was dead and kids cared about nothing but their Xboxes, iPods, Avril Lavigne, and High School Musical, the kids they were worried about were quietly turning on to the novels of one Robert Lawrence Stine. Known in college as ''Jovial Bob'' Stine, this fellow gained another nickname later in life, as — ahem — ''the Stephen King of children's literature.'' He wrote his first teen horror novel (Blind Date) in 1986, years before the advent of Pottermania...but soon you couldn't glance at a USA Today best-seller list without seeing three or four of his paperbacks bobbing around in the top 50.

These books drew almost no critical attention — to the best of my knowledge, Michiko Kakutani never reviewed Who Killed the Homecoming Queen? — but the kids gave them plenty of attention, and R.L. Stine rode a wave of kid popularity, partly fueled by the fledgling Internet, to become perhaps the best-selling children's author of the 20th century. Like Rowling, he was a Scholastic author, and I have no doubt that Stine's success was one of the reasons Scholastic took a chance on a young and unknown British writer in the first place. He's largely unknown and uncredited...but of course John the Baptist never got the same press as Jesus either.

Rowling has been far more successful, critically as well as financially, because the Potter books grew as they went along. That, I think, is their great secret (and not so secret at that; to understand the point visually, buy a ticket to Order of the Phoenix and check out former cutie Ron Weasley towering over Harry and Hermione). R.L. Stine's kids are kids forever, and the kids who enjoyed their adventures grew out of them, as inevitably as they outgrew their childhood Nikes. Jo Rowling's kids grew up...and the audience grew up with them.

This wouldn't have mattered so much if she'd been a lousy writer, but she wasn't — she was and is an incredibly gifted novelist. While some of the blogs and the mainstream media have mentioned that Rowling's ambition kept pace with the skyrocketing popularity of her books, they have largely overlooked the fact that her talent also grew. Talent is never static, it's always growing or dying, and the short form on Rowling is this: She was far better than R.L. Stine (an adequate but flavorless writer) when she started, but by the time she penned the final line of Deathly Hallows (''All was well.''), she had become one of the finer stylists in her native country — not as good as Ian McEwan or Ruth Rendell (at least not yet), but easily the peer of Beryl Bainbridge or Martin Amis.

And, of course, there was the magic. It's what kids want more than anything; it's what they crave. That goes back to the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and good old Alice, chasing after that wascally wabbit. Kids are always looking for the Ministry of Magic, and they usually find it.

One day in my hometown of Bangor, I was walking up the street and observed a dirty-faced boy of about 3 with scabbed knees and a look of extreme concentration on his face. He was sitting on the dirt strip between the sidewalk and the asphalt. He had a stick in his hand and kept jabbing it into the dirt. ''Get down there!'' he cried. ''Get down there, dammit! You can't come out until I say the Special Word! You can't come out until I say so!''

Several people passed by the kid without paying much attention (if any). I slowed, however, and watched as long as I could — probably because I have spent so much time telling the things inhabiting my own imagination to get back down and not come out until I say so. I was charmed by the kid's effortless make-believe (always assuming it was make-believe, heh-heh-heh). And a couple of things occurred to me. One was that if he had been an adult, the cops would have taken him away either to the drunk tank or to our local Dreamboat Manor for a psychiatric exam. Another was that kids exhibiting paranoid-schizophrenic tendencies are simply accepted in most societies. We all understand that kids are crazy until they hit 8 or so, and we cut their groovy, anything-goes minds some slack.

This happened around 1982, while I was getting ready to write a long story about children and monsters (It), and it influenced my thinking on that novel a great deal. Even now, years later, I think of that kid — a little Minister of Magic using a dead twig for a wand — with affection, and hope he didn't consider himself too old for Harry Potter when those books started appearing. He might have; sad to think so, but one thing J.R.R. Tolkien acknowledges that Rowling doesn't is that sometimes — often, really — the magic goes away.

It was children whom Ms. Rowling — like her Fear Street precursor, but with considerably more skill — captivated first, demonstrating with the irrefutable logic of something like 10 bazillion books sold that kids are still perfectly willing to put aside their iPods and Game Boys and pick up a book...if the magic is there. That reading itself is magical is a thing I never doubted. I'd give a lot to know how many teenagers (and preteens) texted this message in the days following the last book's release: DON'T CALL ME TODAY I'M READING.

The same thing probably happened with R.L. Stine's Goosebumps books, but unlike Stine, Rowling brought adults into the reading circle, making it much larger. This is hardly a unique phenomenon, although it seems to be one associated mainly with British authors (there was Huckleberry Finn, of course, a sequel to its YA little brother Tom Sawyer). Alice in Wonderland began as a story told to 10-year-old Alice Liddell by Charles Dodgson (a.k.a. Lewis Carroll); it is now taught in college lit courses. And Watership Down, Richard Adams' version of The Odyssey (featuring rabbits instead of humans), began as a story told to amuse the author's preteen daughters, Juliet and Rosamond, on a long car drive. As a book, though, it was marketed as an ''adult fantasy'' and became an international best-seller.

Maybe it's the British prose. It's hard to resist the hypnotism of those calm and sensible voices, especially when they turn to make-believe. Rowling was always part of that straightforward storytelling tradition (Peter Pan, originally a play by the Scot J.M. Barrie, is another case in point). She never loses sight of her main theme — the power of love to turn bewildered, often frightened, children into decent and responsible adults — but her writing is all about story. She's lucid rather than luminous, but that's okay; when she does express strong feelings, she remains their mistress without denying their truth or power. The sweetest example in Deathly Hallows comes early, with Harry remembering his childhood years in the Dursley house. ''It gave him an odd, empty feeling to remember those times,'' Rowling writes. ''[I]t was like remembering a younger brother whom he had lost.'' Honest; nostalgic; not sloppy. It's a small example of the style that enabled Jo Rowling to bridge the generation gap without breaking a sweat or losing the cheerful dignity that is one of the series' great charms.

Her characters are lively and well-drawn, her pace is impeccable, and although there are occasional continuity drops, the story as a whole hangs together almost perfectly over its 4,000-plus page length.

And she's in full possession of that famously dry British wit, as when Ron, trying to tune in an outlaw news broadcast on his wizard radio, catches a snatch of a pop song called ''A Cauldron Full of Hot Strong Love.'' Must have been some witchy version of Donna Summer doing that one. There's also her wry send-up of the British tabloids — about which I'm sure she knows plenty — in the person of Rita Skeeter, perhaps the best name to be hung on a fictional character since those of Jonathan Swift. When Elphias Doge, the perfect magical English gentleman, calls Rita ''an interfering trout,'' I felt like standing up and giving a cheer. Take that, Page Six! There's a lot of meat on the bones of these books — good writing, honest feeling, a sweet but uncompromising view of human nature...and hard reality: NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH! The fact that Harry attracted adults as well as children has never surprised me.

Are the books perfect? Indeed not. Some sections are too long. In Deathly Hallows, for instance, there's an awful lot of wandering around and camping in that tent; it starts to feel like Ms. Rowling running out the clock on the school year to fit the format of the previous six books.

And sometimes she falls prey to the Robinson Crusoe syndrome. In Crusoe, whenever the marooned hero requires something, he ventures out to his ship — which has conveniently run aground on the reef surrounding his desert island — and takes what he needs from stores (in one of the most amusing continuity flubs in the history of English literature, Robinson once swims out naked...then fills his pockets). In much the same manner, whenever Harry and his friends get into a tight corner, they produce some new spell — fire, water to douse the fire, stairs that conveniently turn into a slide — and squiggle free. I accepted most of these, partly because there's enough child in me to react gleefully rather than doubtfully (in a way, the Potter books are The Joy of Magic rather than The Joy of Cooking) but also because I understand that magic is its own thing, and probably boundless. Still, by the time the Battle of Hogwarts was reaching its climax of clumping giants, cheering portraits, and flying wizards, I almost longed for someone to pull out a good old MAC-10 and start blasting away like Rambo.

If all those creative spells — produced at the right moment like the stuff from Crusoe's ship — were a sign of creative exhaustion, it's the only one I saw, and that's pretty amazing. Mostly Rowling is just having fun, knocking herself out, and when a good writer is having fun, the audience is almost always having fun too. You can take that one to the bank (and, Reader, she did).

One last thing: The bighead academics seem to think that Harry's magic will not be strong enough to make a generation of nonreaders (especially the male half) into bookworms...but they wouldn't be the first to underestimate Harry's magic; just look at what happened to Lord Voldemort. And, of course, the bigheads would never have credited Harry's influence in the first place, if the evidence hadn't come in the form of best-seller lists. A literary hero as big as the Beatles? ''Never happen!'' the bigheads would have cried. ''The traditional novel is as dead as Jacob Marley! Ask anyone who knows! Ask us, in other words!''

But reading was never dead with the kids. Au contraire, right now it's probably healthier than the adult version, which has to cope with what seems like at least 400 boring and pretentious ''literary novels'' each year. While the bigheads have been predicting (and bemoaning) the postliterate society, the kids have been supplementing their Potter with the narratives of Lemony Snicket, the adventures of teenage mastermind Artemis Fowl, Philip Pullman's challenging His Dark Materials trilogy, the Alex Rider adventures, Peter Abrahams' superb Ingrid Levin-Hill mysteries, the stories of those amazing traveling blue jeans. And of course we must not forget the unsinkable (if sometimes smelly) Captain Underpants. Also, how about a tip of the old tiara to R.L. Stine, Jo Rowling's jovial John the Baptist?

I began by quoting Shakespeare; I'll close with the Who: The kids are alright. Just how long they stay that way sort of depends on writers like J.K. Rowling, who know how to tell a good story (important) and do it without talking down (more important) or resorting to a lot of high-flown gibberish (vital). Because if the field is left to a bunch of intellectual Muggles who believe the traditional novel is dead, they'll kill the damn thing.

It's good make-believe I'm talking about. Known in more formal circles as the Ministry of Magic. J.K. Rowling has set the standard: It's a high one, and God bless her for it.


source: ew.com

lugi!

i haven't really started this 'sideline' business, lugi na agad ako. there's this one girl who claims she didn't order from me, malinaw sa text nya nakukuha sya ng nasabing product. and this in-law of mine, who ordered, kapag singilin na eh laging walang pera... sabagay reputation na nya yun. nagsisisi tuloy ako ba't ko pa binigay agad yung order nya, shit! ggrr!!

now, i'll try to give back the 'unordered' product... if my friend refuses, i'll pay for it na lang... see, lugi ako. hay, that's business.

buti pa Papa ko, i was selling 'sugo' peanuts at school then, Papa used some of my goods as pulutan... in fairness, binayaran nya... and said "anak, BUSINESS IS BUSINESS".

Thursday, October 11, 2007

cp and mini sd

last saturday, oct. 6, france and i went to festival mall to meet my friends/former officemates. as we arrived at the mall, we went straight to the joshua's (ata yung name) stroller rental in front of national bookstore. then took the elevator to the 3rd floor to look for cellphones... i planned to buy a flip-top type unit. and here's what i bought, motorola v3, yun lang kasya sa budget ko kahit card ang gamit ko. i also bought a 512mb mini sd memory card for my hubby's unit. after buying these, we looked for a cloth cp case. while still waiting for my friends, we strolled around the mall. we waited for them near the front entrance... after meeting them we did what we had to do then bid goodbyes... they're from QC and Rizal pa kasi.

yesterday, i remembered i haven't tried the memory card i bought and sad to say... it was defective. i called the store for help and just advised me to reformat the card and try again. i did what they said and still not working.. then they said just bring it to them.. it is still under warranty.

today, my daughter and i went to the store where i bought the memory card and they said that the card was defective... they changed the card into a new one. before i left the store, i tried both the cards, old and new, and they're both working well.

Lesson: if you can, always try right away the 'stuff' bought before leaving the store.. if not, try it right away at home so that you can bring it back the following day..

i bought a 'messenger' bag for my stuff... sira na yung heartstrings-messenger bag and a 'cheap' white board for ching. huhuhu... nagkasala na naman ako... =)

Thursday, October 4, 2007

racist?

a video from Desperate Housewives:



"before we can go any further, can i check those diplomas? coz i just want to make sure they're not from some med schools in the Philippines!"

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

1st bike

my daughter's 1st bicycle

her Dada bought it last Friday, Sept.28, when we went to Festival Mall. actually, sumama lang kami kasi nagpadrive doon ang mga in-laws ko to buy groceries.

Monday, September 24, 2007

cool song!

Beautiful Girls
Sean Kingston




[Chorus]
You're way too beautiful girl
That's why it'll never work
You'll have me suicidal, suicidal
When you say it's over
Damn all these beautiful girls
They only wanna do your dirt
They'll have you suicidal, suicidal
When they say it's over

[Verse 1]
See it started at the park
Used to chill after dark
Oh when you took my heart
That's when we fell apart
Cause we both thought
That love lasts forever (lasts forever)
They say we're too young
To get ourselves sprung
Oh we didn't care
We made it very clear
And they also said
That we couldn't last together (last
together)

[Refrain]
See it's very divine,
you're one of a kind
But you mash up my mind
You have to get declined
Oh Lord...
My baby is driving me crazy

[Repeat Chorus]

[Verse 2]
It was back in '99
Watchin' movies all the time
Oh when I went away
For doin' my first crime
And I never thought
That we was gonna see each other (see
each other)
And then I came out
Mami moved me down South
Oh I'm with my girl
Who I thought was my world
It came out to be
That she wasn't the girl for me (girl
for me)

[Repeat Refrain and Chorus]

[Verse 3]
Now we're fussin'
And now we're fightin'
Please tell me why
I'm feelin' slighted
And I don't know
How to make it better (make it better)
You're datin' other guys
You're tellin' me lies
Oh I can't believe
What I'm seein' with my eyes
I'm losin' my mind
And I don't think it's clever (think
it's clever)

You're way too beautiful girl
That's why it'll never work
You'll have me suicidal, suicidal,
suicidal

Monday, September 17, 2007

slide down

last Saturday, my sis-in-law lend us this 'play house'... Roel assembled it yesterday and I arranged the area where i'll place it.

as usual kontrabida na naman sya, pinahiram ito so bakit ako tatanggi unless wala talagang lugar, eh kahit pa'no naman meron... it's for the kid naman, not for me!










look how she enjoys playing with it.. she'll learn the skills of climbing... she loves to slide down the slide and climb at different ways she could.. and may schedule ang paglaro nya dyan

of course, lagi dapat may bantay... and that's my role...

thank you po, daddy Ed, ninang Ivy, ate Ion and kuya EJ for lending me this... =>

gigil!

anak ko nanggigigil sa pinsang si macoy... hindi nya sinasakal or sinasaktan si insan... gigil sya sa ulo ni macoy...

follow up: profile

as a follow up post to this blog, at last i was able to find a simple profile of Patrick Garcia, here it is:


Patrick Garcia
Making model ships and indulging in wakeboarding and archery are just some of Patrick's hobbies. What else do you know about this cutie?
basic info
Name: Patrick Garcia
Nickname:
Birthday: September 14, 1981
Birth Place: Makati City
Showbiz Anniversary:

favorites

Hobbies: Making model ships and playing sports like wakeboarding and archery
Sports: Wakeboarding, Archery
Pet/s: Three Siamese cats
Actors/Actresses
Foreign: John Malkovich
Movie: Jacob's Ladder, Empire of the Sun
Singers: Jennylyn Mercado syempre
Music: any type of music
Expression: Huh?!


personal

Full Name: Franz Patrick Velasco Garcia



Adjective that best describes you: Unpredictable
Fashion: jeans and shirt
Fashion icon: Wala
Most treasured item: Damit kasi may cellphone ka nga naka- hubad ka naman di ba?
Pet Peeves: Ayoko ng maarte
Fears: wala
Unforgettable childhood memory:

q & a

Why did you enter showbusiness?
It just happened kasi before ayoko mag- artista but now I'm enjoying it.

What do you consider as the turning point in your career?
Siguro when I did Batang PX siguro.

If you weren’t in showbiz, what kind of career would you have?
Siguro I'd be a businessman.

What is your biggest frustration/regret?
Singing. Gustung- gusto kong kumanta pero ayaw ng kanta sa akin.

What do most people not know about you?
I'm usually quiet.

What is your most unforgettable moment/ experience?
It is yet to happen.

What are you most proud of?
Na marami akong kaibigan.

What do you value most?
Friendship. Love and God.

What do you want to achieve?
Siguro na yumaman ako at matulungan ko not just myself and my family but other people as well.

What is your advice to aspiring artists?
If it's in your heart then just go ahead and do your best.



thank you, igma.tv

Sunday, September 16, 2007

fave play area

last Friday, my daughter and I went to Festival Mall... she just played at our favorite play area... the one near the food court at the ground floor.. it's her nth time there... she loves to slide down the slide and shoot the ball







Monday, September 10, 2007

together again ang tropa

yesterday, we attended two kiddie parties...

in the morning, we attended the Christening of Bernice.. ninang ako! the reception is at Legaspi Pool near our place... it's her 2-in-1 celebration kasi... 1st birthday at the same time her binyag. we ate, drank and played billiard there... ang init kahapon, sarap sanang magswimmin kaso... may pupuntahan pa kami ng gabi. we left at 4pm... had our shower sa aming respective homes.

then we left 5pm, for the next kiddie party... Vikki's son's 1st birthday at Jollibee-Festival. the party was short kasi walang masyadong bata na magpaparticipate sa games. ang kulit nga ni Jollibee eh. takot anak ko sa Santa Claus display sa Festi at kay Jollibee! we went home right away after the party... kasi nakapag-stroll na kami before going to the party.


me, with Grace and Eejay


my daughter afraid of jollibee


grabe, ang saya... minsan lang ulit kasi kami magkasama-sama ng tropa... coz of our careers and families... kailan kaya ulit?

guys, hapi burpday

Happy Birthday,
Razel Estrella
and
Daphne Dungca-Guanlao!


and also to
Michelle Pambid (Sept. 11)
and
Leonordette Leonor-Jumarang (Sept. 17)!


Happiness and more success to you guys. God bless! =>

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Mother of all mothers

Happy Birthday, Mama Mary!


"to Jesus through Mary"

fill in

yesterday, we went at Festival Mall just having our at least once a month strolling. we bought some stuff for our SUV at Ace Hardware. we rode the choo-choo train, my hubby and daughter went up and down the escalator. we ate dinner at Don Henrico's. after eating we, went to SaveMore to buy some groceries then headed home.





last week Sat, Sept 1, we had early dinner at Max's-Greenbelt 1, Makati. it's the 81st birthday of my hubby's grandmother.

some of the attendees

Thursday, September 6, 2007

stranger?

why some of my pals doesn't consider me as their buddy?
or am i just assuming that we're chums?


anyway, i still have some worth keeping.

i miss this gal!













Gladys Guevarra
Known as the ever comical and lovable "Chuchay," Gladys puts on various personalities like an ordinary person would put on clothes -- effortlessly.

basic info
Name: Gladys Guevarra
Nickname: Chuchay
Birthday: February 22, 1977
Birth Place: Olongapo City
Showbiz Anniversary:

favorites

Hobbies: Cooking
Pet/s: Flowerhorn fish
Actors/Actresses
Local: Eddie Garcia, Celia Rodriguez
Foreign: Reese Witherspoon, Kurt Russel
TV Show: Desperate Housewives, One Tree Hill, The OC
Singers: Baby Face, Britney Spears
Expression: "Eeeh!!!... Di nako sasama!"

personal

Adjectives that best describe you: Marvelous, surprising
Fashion icon: Eva Longoria
Fears: rats
Goals: To have a baby!
Role Model: Vic Sotto, Joey de Leon

q & a

Why did you enter showbusiness?
Aksidente lang :)

What do you consider as the turning point in your career?
When I joined the family of the longest running noontime show on earth... EAT BULAGA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you weren’t in showbiz, what kind of career would you have?
A famous chef maybe

What is your biggest frustration/regret?
-NOTHING-

What do most people not know about you?
Na napakatagal kong maligo, twice ako mag- conditioner, magsasabon muna 'ko, then scrub, then literally isang boteng lotion ang inuubos ko sa katawan ko

What is your most unforgettable moment/ experience?
When I got myself a Ford Expedition

What are you most proud of?
Ang mapabilang sa Eat Bulaga and "My Magic Kamison"

What do you value most?
My Lugawan Republic!... YEHEY!!!

What do you want to achieve?
To buy a house as big as Allan K's house

What is your advice to aspiring artists?
Never stop dreaming. Wag mawalan ng pag- asa, kung nagawa ng mga iniidolo at tinitingala ninyo, kaya n'yo rin magawa. "GO!"

pang tanggal umay





Tuesday, September 4, 2007

kid in me

** thank you bloomsbury.com


Webchat with J.K. Rowling, 30 July 2007

Leaky Cauldron: What, if anything, did the wizarding world learn, and how did society change, as a direct result of the war with Voldemort? (i.e., not as a result of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s future careers.)

J.K. Rowling: The Ministry of Magic was de-corrupted, and with Kingsley at the helm the discrimination that was always latent there was eradicated. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny et al would of course play a significant part in the re-building of wizarding society through their future careers.

Ryan Love: From your fans at www.thesnitch.co.uk. Weren’t we supposed to see Ginny display powerful magical abilities in Deathly Hallows and find out why it’s significant that she’s the seventh child? Was her main role in the books only to be Harry’s love interest?

J.K. Rowling: Hi Ryan! Well, I think Ginny demonstrated powerful magic in the final battle, and that for a sixteen year old witch she acquitted herself pretty well. I don’t remember ever saying that her ‘seventh child’ status would prove particularly important in the last book, though — are you sure I said that?!

Georgina: Did Lucius Malfoy, and all the other escaped Death Eaters, go back to Azkaban?

J.K. Rowling: No, the Malfoys weaseled their way out of trouble (again) due to the fact that they colluded (albeit out of self-interest) with Harry at the end of the battle.

Elisabeth: In the chapter of Kings Cross, are they behind the veil or in some world between the real world and the veil?

J.K. Rowling: You can make up your own mind on this, but I think that Harry entered a kind of limbo between life and death.

Renee: From reading about the original owners of the Deathly Hallows, the Peverell brothers, I’m wondering if Harry and Voldermort are distantly related Voldermorts grandfather ended up with the resurrection stone ring?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, Harry and Voldemort are distantly related through the Peverells. Of course, nearly all wizarding families are related if you trace them back through the centuries. As was made clear in Deathly Hallows, Peverell blood would run through many wizarding families.

Fomy: What did you feel when you finally wrote the kiss, awaited so much by the fans, of Ron and Hermione

J.K. Rowling: I loved writing it, and I loved the fact that Hermione took the initiative! Ron had finally got SPEW and earned himself a snog!

Angela Morrissey: Why is it that Albus Dumbledore can see Harry under his invisibility cloak at certain moments? (during the series is the cloak only infallible to those who do not own a Deathly Hallow).

J.K. Rowling: Dumbledore, who could perform magic without needing to say the incantation aloud, was using ‘homenum revelio’ the human-presence-revealing spell Hermione makes use of in Deathly Hallows.

Jamie Lewis: What ever happened to Winky?

J.K. Rowling: She’s still at Hogwarts, and she was one of the oncoming house-elves who attacked the Death Eaters in the final battle.

Katieleigh: Does Hermione still continue to do work with Spew and is life any better for house elves!

J.K. Rowling: Hermione began her post-Hogwarts career at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures where she was instrumental in greatly improving life for house-elves and their ilk. She then moved (despite her jibe to Scrimgeour) to the Dept. of Magical Law Enforcement where she was a progressive voice who ensured the eradication of oppressive, pro-pureblood laws.

Tineke: Did Teddy grow up living with his grandmother?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, Teddy was raised by Andromeda. However, unlike Neville, who was also raised by his grandmother Teddy had his godfather, Harry, and all his father’s friends in the Order, to visit and stay with.

Blodeuwedd: Hi jk, first of all thank you for all the books I have enjoyed each and every one of them could you tell us what professions Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Luna go on to have did the trio do their final year at school and take their newts?

J.K. Rowling: Thank you! I’ve already answered about Hermione. Kingsley became permanent Minister for Magic, and naturally he wanted Harry to head up his new Auror department. Harry did so (just because Voldemort was gone, it didn’t mean that there would not be other Dark witches and wizards in the coming years). Ron joined George at Weasleys’ Wizarding Wheezes, which became an enormous money-spinner... After a few years as a celebrated player for the Holyhead Harpies, Ginny retired to have her family and to become the Senior Quidditch correspondent at the Daily Prophet!

Camille: What or who is Peeves exactly, is he linked with the bloody Barons story?

J.K. Rowling: No, Peeves is not linked to the bloody Baron’s story. He is a spirit of chaos that entered the building long ago and has proved impossible to eradicate!

Jessie: Were the Deathly Hallows based on any realworld myth or faerie tale?

J.K. Rowling: Perhaps ‘the Pardoner’s Tale’, by Chaucer.

Alicepie: What happend to Luna, did she get married who to?

J.K. Rowling: She ended up marrying (rather later than Harry & co) a fellow naturalist and grandson of the great Newt Scamander (Rolf)!

Rosi: What does in essence divided mean?

J.K. Rowling: Dumbledore suspected that the snake’s essence was divided — that it contained part of Voldemort’s soul, and that was why it was so very adept at doing his bidding. This also explained why Harry, the last and unintended Horcrux, could see so clearly through the snake’s eyes, just as he regularly sees through Voldemort’s. Dumbledore is thinking aloud here, edging towards the truth with the help of the Pensieve.

Superhans: What was Dudley's worst memory?

J.K. Rowling: I think that when Dudley was attacked by the Dementors he saw himself, for the first time, as he really was. This was an extremely painful, but ultimately salutory lesson, and began the transformation in him.

Casey Kunze: Who killed Remus and Tonks I think if I knew this, I would get some closure over the very sad, but understandable, death of two of my favorite characters.

J.K. Rowling: I’m so sorry! I met a couple on launch night who had come dressed as Lupin and Tonks, and I felt dreadfully guilty as I signed their books! Remus was killed by Dolohov and Tonks by Bellatrix.

Laura Trego: Was the absence of Snape's portrait in the headmaster's office in the last scene innocent or deliberate?

J.K. Rowling: It was deliberate. Snape had effectively abandoned his post before dying, so he had not merited inclusion in these august circles. However, I like to think that Harry would be instrumental in ensuring that Snape’s portrait would appear there in due course.

Stephanie: If the wand chooses the wizard, then why do wands work when passed down from father to son eg Neville had his fathers wand?

J.K. Rowling: As established by Ollivander, a wizard can use almost any wand, it is simply that a wand that chooses him/her will work best. Where there is a family connection, a wand will work a little better than a wand chosen at random, I think.

James Farrell: How did Umbridge manage to conjure a Patronus while wearing the locket when Harry wasn't able to?

J.K. Rowling: Because she is a very nasty piece of work. She has an affinity for this horrible object, which would help rather than hinder her.

Tineke: What happened to Percy - did he return to his job at the ministry?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, the new improved Percy ended up as a high-ranking official under Kingsley.

Su: How did Neville get the Gryffindor sword, is there a link to the hat?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, there is very definitely a link to the hat! Neville, most worthy Gryffindor, asked for help just as Harry did in the Chamber of secrets, and Gryffindor’s sword was transported into Gryffindor’s old hat — the Sorting Hat was Gryffindor’s initially, as you know. Griphook was wrong — Gryffindor did not ‘steal’ the sword, not unless you are a goblin fanatic and believe that all goblin-made objects really belong to the maker.

Steph: Will Azkaban still use Dementors?

J.K. Rowling: No, definitely not. Kingsley would see to that. The use of Dementors was always a mark of the underlying corruption of the Ministry, as Dumbledore constantly maintained.

Smallbutpowerful: On behalf of all Harry Potter fans who consider themselves to be Hufflepuffs could you please describe the Hufflepuff common room as it is the only common room Harry hasn’t visited.

J.K. Rowling: The Hufflepuff common room is accessed through a portrait near the kitchens, as I am sure you have deduced. Sorry — I should say ‘painting’ rather than portrait, because it is a still-life. It is a very cosy and welcoming place, as dissimilar as possible from Snape’s dungeon. Lots of yellow hangings, and fat armchairs, and little underground tunnels leading to the dormitories, all of which have perfectly round doors, like barrel tops.

Camille: How is George getting along without his twin?

J.K. Rowling: Well, I don’t think that George would ever get over losing Fred, which makes me feel so sad. However, he names his first child and son Fred, and he goes on to have a very successful career, helped by good old Ron.

Jessica Lynn: Did Hagrid have to be able to see Thestrals in order to train them if so, whose death did Hagrid witness?

J.K. Rowling: Hagrid has seen many deaths in quite a long life, so yes, he can see Thestrals.

Allie: What did Dumbledore truly see in the mirror of erised?

J.K. Rowling: He saw his family alive, whole and happy — Ariana, Percival and Kendra all returned to him, and Aberforth reconciled to him.

Snapedinhalf: You promised that someone will do magic late in life in book 7. I’ve now read it three times but cant work out who it might have been! Please help!!

J.K. Rowling: I’m sorry about this, but I changed my mind! My very earliest plan for the story involved somebody managing to get to Hogwarts when they had never done magic before, but I had changed my mind by the time I’d written the third book.

Christiana: How did Voldemort get his wand back after he was in was exile?

J.K. Rowling: Wormtail, desperate to curry favour, salvaged it from the place it had fallen and carried it to him. I admit that would have been a bit of a feat for a rat, but they are highly intelligent creatures!

Amanda: Hiya, I've grown up with Harry and the gang, did any of the characters change in any unexpected ways as they grew up?

J.K. Rowling: They all became pretty much what I expected/planned them to become. Of course they changed as I wrote, but nobody surprised me very much!

Ravleen: How much does the fact that Voldemort was conceived under a love potion have to do with his nonability to understand love. Is it more symbolic?

J.K. Rowling: It was a symbolic way of showing that he came from a loveless union — but of course, everything would have changed if Merope had survived and raised him herself and loved him. The enchantment under which Tom Riddle fathered Voldemort is important because it shows coercion, and there can’t be many more prejudicial ways to enter the world than as the result of such a union.

Lechicaneuronline: Do you think Snape is a hero?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, I do; though a very flawed hero. An anti-hero, perhaps. He is not a particularly likeable man in many ways. He remains rather cruel, a bully, riddled with bitterness and insecurity — and yet he loved, and showed loyalty to that love and, ultimately, laid down his life because of it. That’s pretty heroic!

James Farrell: Voldemort never told anyone about his horcruxes, so how on earth did Regulus Black discover his secret?

J.K. Rowling: Horcrux magic was not Voldemort’s own invention; as is established in the story, other wizards had done it, though never gone as far as to make six. Voldemort dropped oblique hints; in his arrogance, he did not believe anybody would be clever enough to understand them. (He does so in the graveyard of Little Hangleton, in front of Harry). He did this before Regulus and Regulus guessed, correctly, what it was that made Voldemort so convinced he could not die.

Jaclyn: Did Lily ever have feelings back for Snape?

J.K. Rowling: Yes. She might even have grown to love him romantically (she certainly loved him as a friend) if he had not loved Dark Magic so much, and been drawn to such loathesome people and acts.

Boggo: Would you choose the Hallow that is the cloak, like you're supposed to, and would you be tempted to use the others?

J.K. Rowling: My temptation would be Harry’s, ie, the Stone. But I believe, as does Harry ultimately, that the greatest wisdom is in accepting that we must all die, and moving on.

Cornersoul: So what happens to all the Dementors where will they go will they be destroyed if so, how?

J.K. Rowling: You cannot destroy Dementors, though you can limit their numbers if you eradicate the conditions in which they multiply, ie, despair and degradation. As I’ve already said, though, the Ministry no longer used them to torment its opponents.

Michael: Why didn't Fawkes come back to help Harry? I would have thought that since Harry was so loyal to Dumbledore, Fawkes would have been Harry's new pet?

J.K. Rowling: Something had to leave the school for good when Dumbledore died, and I decided that would be Fawkes. Dumbledore was a very great and irreplacable man, and the loss of Fawkes (and the fact that he was ‘non-transferable’!) expresses this symbolically

Roseweasley: Why was Colin Creavey still a student at Hogwarts when he was muggleborn surely he would have been locked up and interogated, not allowed back to school therefore, he shouldn't have died?

J.K. Rowling: Colin wasn’t a student. He sneaked back with the rest of the DA, along with Fred, George and the rest. He ought not to have stayed behind when McGonagall told him to leave, but alas — he did.

Delailah: How does Dumbledore understand Parseltongue?

J.K. Rowling: Dumbledore understood Mermish, Gobbledegook and Parseltongue. The man was brilliant.

Jessie: Will Lockhart ever recover?

J.K. Rowling: No. Nor would I want him to. He’s happy where he is, and I’m happier without him!

Annie: Does the wizarding world now know that snape was Dumbledore's man, or do they still think he did a bunk?

J.K. Rowling: Harry would ensure that Snape’s heroism was known. Of course, that would not stop Rita Skeeter writing ‘Snape: Scoundrel or Saint?’

Vio91: Is Teddy Lupin a werewolf?

J.K. Rowling: No, he’s a Metamorphmagus like his mother.

Nippy23: We see socks a lot throughout the series, such as Dobby’s love for them and Dumbledore’s claim to see them in the mirror of erised, what’s the reason behind all the socks?

J.K. Rowling: Nothing deep and significant, I’m afraid. They’re just a comedy item.

Lady Bella: Whose murders did Voldemort use to create each of the horcruxes?

J.K. Rowling: The diary — Moaning Myrtle. The cup — Hepzibah Smith, the previous owner. The locket — a Muggle tramp. Nagini — Bertha Jorkins (Voldemort could use a wand once he regained a rudimentary body, as long as the victim was subdued). The diadem — an Albanian peasant. The ring — Tom Riddle snr.

Sampotterish: Why did Dumbledore want Ron to keep his deluminator?

J.K. Rowling: Because he knew that Ron might need a little more guidance than the other two. Dumbledore understood Ron’s importance in the trio. He wasn’t the most skilled, or the most intelligent, but he held them together; his humour and his good heart were essential.

Carol: Do Dementors have souls

J.K. Rowling: No, that’s what makes them frightening!

Jess Mac: What was the third smell that Hermione smelt in the amortentia potion in hbp (ie the particular essence of Ron)?

J.K. Rowling: I think it was his hair. Every individual has very distinctive-smelling hair, don’t you find?

Natalie: Are house divisions as prevalaent in Harry’s childrens' Hogwarts as in the previous generations?

J.K. Rowling: Slytherin has become diluted. It is no longer the pureblood bastion it once was. Nevertheless, its dark reputation lingers, hence Albus Potter’s fears.

Nithya: Lily detested Mulciber Avery. If snape really loved her,why didn't he sacrifice their company for her sake?

J.K. Rowling: Well, that is Snape’s tragedy. Given his time over again he would not have become a Death Eater, but like many insecure, vulnerable people (like Wormtail) he craved membership of something big and powerful, something impressive. He wanted Lily and he wanted Mulciber too. He never really understood Lily’s aversion; he was so blinded by his attraction to the dark side he thought she would find him impressive if he became a real Death Eater.

Alborz: What does it mean to be the master of Death?

J.K. Rowling: As Dumbledore explains, the real master of Death accepts that he must die, and that there are much worse things in the world of the living. It is not about striving for immortality, but about accepting mortality.

Barbara: I was very disappointed to see Harry use crucio and seem to enjoy it. His failure to perform that kind of curse in the past has been a credit to his character why the change, and did Harry later regret having enjoyed deliberately causing pain?

J.K. Rowling: Harry is not, and never has been, a saint. Like Snape, he is flawed and mortal. Harry’s faults are primarily anger and occasional arrogance. On this occasion, he is very angry and acts accordingly. He is also in an extreme situation, and attempting to defend somebody very good against a violent and murderous opponent.

Nicole: What do you think is the funniest moment you have written in the series

J.K. Rowling: It sounds very vain to answer this! My favourite in this book is probably that line of Ron’s ‘really captures the scope and tragedy of the thing, doesn’t it?’

Courtney: What child did Harry give the marauders map to if any?

J.K. Rowling: I’ve got a feeling he didn’t give it to any of them, but that James sneaked it out of his father’s desk one day.

Karin: What did Petunia wanted to say to Harry at the end of the Dursleys departing?

J.K. Rowling: I think that for one moment she trembled on the verge of wishing Harry luck; that she almost acknowledged that her loathing of his world, and of him, was born out of jealousy. But she couldn’t do it; years of pretending that ‘normal’ was best had hardened her too much.

Leaky Cauldron: Please pose and answer the question you’d most like to address about the series! (a ha, turned it back on you.)

J.K. Rowling: Oooo, you’re tough. I must admit, I always wondered why nobody ever asked me what Dumbledore’s wand was made of! And I couldn’t say that, even when asked ‘what do you wish you’d been asked…’ because it would have sign-posted just how significant that wand would become!

Nora: Is Auntie Muriel's tiara important?

J.K. Rowling: No, sorry… except to illustrate what an old bat she is.

Nigel: Can Harry speak Parseltongue when he is no longer a horcrux?

J.K. Rowling: No, he loses the ability, and is very glad to do so.

Nikki: How did Sirius' twoway mirror end up with Aberforth or is it another twoway mirror?

J.K. Rowling: You see Aberforth meeting Mundungus in Hogsmeade. That was the occasion on which Dung, who had taken Sirius’s mirror from Grimmauld Place, sold it to Aberforth.

Tierney Roth: If Moody got a magic eye, and Wormtail got a magic hand, couldn't there be some way to form a magical ear, if only to cover up the hole and make George look more symmetrical?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, he could wear a false ear (I’m starting to giggle at the thought. Perhaps he’s better off with the hole!)

Lucy: What is Dumbledore's boggart?

J.K. Rowling: The corpse of his sister.

Pablo: What is toadface Umbridge doing now?

J.K. Rowling: Glad to see you like her as much as I do! She was arrested, interrogated and imprisoned for crimes against Muggleborns.

Tina: Do the muggles notice that there aren't any weird things going on now that Voldemort's gone?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, the world seems a much sunnier place (literally — with the Dementors gone the weather gets better!) We are having a heavily Dementor-influenced summer here in the UK.

Katie Mosher: How exactly do muggleborns receive magical ability?

J.K. Rowling: Muggleborns will have a witch or wizard somewhere on their family tree, in some cases many, many generations back. The gene re-surfaces in some unexpected places.

Maggie: Is Rita Skeeter still reporting?

J.K. Rowling: Naturally, what could stop Rita? I imagine she immediately dashed off a biography of Harry after he defeated Voldemort. One quarter truth to three quarters rubbish.

Maggie Keir: Was Hermione able to find her parents and undo the memory damage?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, she brought them home straight away.

Lola Victorpujebet: Was Minerva in love with Albus?

J.K. Rowling: No! Not everybody falls in love with everybody else…

Rachel Nell: Jkr, thank you for such amazing books! I would like to know how come no one seemed to know that Lily and Snape were friends in school they were obviously meeting for chats, etc didn't James know their past?

J.K. Rowling: Thank you for your thank you! Yes, it was known that they were friendly and then stopped being friends. Nothing more than that would be widely known. James always suspected Snape harboured deeper feelings for Lily, which was a factor in James’ behaviour to Snape.

Abbey: Will the Chuddley Cannons ever win the Quidditch World Cup?

J.K. Rowling: Bless them, perhaps. But they’d need to replace the entire team and down several cauldrons of Felix Felicitas.

Hayleyhaha: Why did Regulus have a change of heart?

J.K. Rowling: He was not prepared for the reality of life as a Death Eater. It was Voldemort’s attempted murder of Kreacher that really turned him.

J.K. Rowling: Scorpius has a lot going against him, not least that name. However, I think Scorpius would be an improvement on his father, whom misfortune has sobered!

Stephval: Is Scorpius as misguided as his father, or has Draco improved and taught his child(ren) better?

J.K. Rowling: Sorry, technical hitch — just answered a question before seeing it! I am clearly getting better at Legilimency.

Lona: Did Draco and Harry lose their animosity towards eachother when Voldemort died?

J.K. Rowling: Not really. There would be a kind of rapprochement, in that Harry knows Draco hated being a Death Eater, and would not have killed Dumbledore; similarly, Draco would feel a grudging gratitude towards Harry for saving his life. Real friendship would be out of the question, though. Too much had happened prior to the final battle.

Hannah: Why was Snape so badly groomed?

J.K. Rowling: Hmm. Good question. Poor eyesight? Did he look in the mirror and believe he was gorgeous as he was? I think it more likely that he valued other qualities in himself!

Ea: Will the stone ever be found, since it was left just sitting on the forest floor?

J.K. Rowling: I think not. I imagine that it was squashed into the ground by a centaur’s hoof as the centaurs dashed to the aid of the Hogwarts fighters, and thereafter became buried.

Adwait313: Has the jinx on the dada teaching post at hogwarts been lifted?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, at last! Incidentally, I know some have asked about Quirrell with regard to this question. He was teaching at Hogwarts for more than a year, but NOT in the post of D.A.D.A. teacher. He was previously Muggle Studies professor.

Emily: What ever happened to Aberforth?

J.K. Rowling: He is still there, at the Hog’s Head, playing with his goats.

Lee: I recently purchsed Nimbus TwoThousand. It has a terrible knack of veering left. Is their anything I can do (wihout the use of a wand it was broken by a hippogriff) to repair it back to it original straight flying state?

J.K. Rowling: Hm. I would advise a trip to Arkie Alderton’s Kwik-Repair Shop. Never attempt to mend a broom at home, the consequences can be disastrous.

Abjoppotter: Is Narcissa Malfoy really a Death Eater?

J.K. Rowling: No, she never had the Dark Mark and was never a fully paid-up member. However, her views were identical to those of her husband until Voldemort planned the death of her son.

Emzzy: Did Mr Weasley ever get around to fixing Sirius' motorbike?

J.K. Rowling: Of course, and it ended up in Harry’s possession.

Lulu: Do you think Dumbledore was a little more fond of Ron than either Ron or Harry believed?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, I do. Through Harry’s account of Ron, and from reports of the professors who taught Ron, Dumbledore understood Ron better than Ron ever knew, and liked him, too.

Chelatina: Was Firenze ever welcomed back into the herd?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, the rest of the herd was forced to acknowledge that Firenze’s pro-human leanings were not shameful, but honourable.

Kristy: What was your favorite scene to write in Deathly Hallows?

J.K. Rowling: Chapter 34: The Forest Again.

Chely: James' Patronus is a stag and Lily's a doe. Is that a coincidence?

J.K. Rowling: No, the Patronus often mutates to take the image of the love of one’s life (because they so often become the ‘happy thought’ that generates a Patronus).

Jon: Since Voldemort was afraid of death, did he choose to be a ghost if so where does he haunt or is this not possible due to his horcruxes?

J.K. Rowling: No, he is not a ghost. He is forced to exist in the stunted form we witnessed in King’s Cross.

Angela Morrissey: Were there seven horcruxes not six as Dumbledore intimated to harry if so, does this mean that Voldemort had an 8 part soul not a 7?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, Voldemort accidentally broke his soul into eight parts, not seven.

Laura Trego: Did Hermione really put a memory charm on her parents she says she did but then about 50 pages later tells ron shes never done a memory charm?

J.K. Rowling: They are two different charms. She has not wiped her parents’ memories (as she later does to Dolohov and Rowle); she has bewitched them to make them believe that they are different people.

Maura: How come Voldemort was no longer employing occlumency against Harry, as he was in the 6th book?

J.K. Rowling: He is losing control, and unable to prevent Harry seeing into his mind. The connection between them is never fully understood by Voldemort, who does not know that Harry is a Horcrux.

Gandalfxj9: Did Krum ever find love?

J.K. Rowling: Of course, though he had to go back to his native Bulgaria to do so.

Twinkletoes: Why did you feel that Hedwig's death was necessary?

J.K. Rowling: The loss of Hedwig represented a loss of innocence and security. She has been almost like a cuddly toy to Harry at times. Voldemort killing her marked the end of childhood. I’m sorry… I know that death upset a LOT of people!

Lecanard: Will we see Harry and his friends having their own history on chocolate frogs cards?

J.K. Rowling: Definitely, and Ron will describe this as his finest hour.

Mike: What is the incantation for creating a horcrux?

J.K. Rowling: I cannot possibly tell you. Some things are better left unsaid.

Samantha: Was Snape the only Death Eater who could produce a full Patronus?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, because a Patronus is used against things that the Death Eaters generally generate, or fight alongside. They would not need Patronuses.

Jess: How did Nagini could see Harry and Hermione if they were under the invisibility cloak?

J.K. Rowling: Snakes’ sense are very different from human ones. They can detect heat and movement in a way that we can’t.

Chucky: Have you had another alternatives as book title apart from Deathly Hallows?

J.K. Rowling: The two other possibilities were ‘the Elder Wand’ (used instead as a chapter title) and ‘the Peverell Quest’, which I decided against quite quickly. I think the word ‘Quest’ is a bit corny!

Iglooanne: What would your Patronus be?

J.K. Rowling: I’d like an otter, like Hermione, but I’ve got a feeling it might be a large dog.

The Stoic Cycle: Why is it that Voldemort is unaware that the gaunt ring is a hallow, when he has worn it (such as in the memory the diary shows Harry in book 2)

J.K. Rowling: Wearing the ring would not make the stone work. The stone existed outside the ring originally, and to use it you had to turn it three times in your hand.

Finchburg: Does the dark mark remain on those that Voldemort has branded after his death or does the tattoo dissapear now he is gone thanks for considering my question!

J.K. Rowling: My pleasure, Finchburg! The Dark Mark would fade to a scar, not dissimilar to the lightning scar on Harry’s forehead. Like Harry’s, these scars would no longer burn or hurt.

Katie Mosher: How is the Quibbler doing these days?

J.K. Rowling: Pretty well, actually. It has returned to its usual condition of advanced lunacy, and is appreciated for its unintentional humour.

Camille: Dear Mrs Rowling, while I'm here I want to thank you for making me laugh, cry (a lot! Most of all for Sirius!) since I'm 11 quite a long time for me as I'm 20 Harry's magic and yours will be with me forever! Thanks!

J.K. Rowling: Thank you very much, Camille, and I’m sorry about Sirius. That man’s got a lot of fans. Mostly female, I might add.

Nicofr: Does Winky still drink a lot of butterbear?

J.K. Rowling: She’s dried out a bit now.

Isabel: Did Bellatrix ever love her husband, or did she have love only for Voldemort?

J.K. Rowling: She took a pureblood husband, because that was what was expected of her, but her true love was always Voldemort.

jenny: How did Snape keep his Patronus secret from the rest of the order?

J.K. Rowling: He was careful not to use the talking Patronus means of communication with them. This was not difficult, as his particular job within the Order, ie, as spy, meant that sending a Patronus to any of them might have given away his true allegiance.

Darchey: Did Voldemort ever love a girl?

J.K. Rowling: No, he loved only power, and himself. He valued people whom he could use to advance his own objectives.

Leo: What would your wand be made of?

J.K. Rowling: I’d like Harry’s wand — holly and phoenix feather.

Brian: Did the DA keep the coins?

J.K. Rowling: Naturally. They would be like badges or medals of honour — proof that the owner had been at the heart of the fight against Voldemort from the start! I like to imagine Neville showing his to his admiring pupils.

Tracie: How relieved are you that you can finally talk about the series no more secretkeeping!

J.K. Rowling: I’m elated! It is great to be able to do this at last, I’ve looked forward to it for so long!

Lou: How did Snape get into Grimmauld place to get the second half of the letter, if there were protection spells on the house stopping Snape getting in?

J.K. Rowling: Snape entered the house immediately after Dumbledore’s death, before Moody put up the spells against him.

Koen Van Der Voort: Why is the scar on Harry's forehead lightning shaped?

J.K. Rowling: To be honest, because it’s a cool shape. I couldn’t have my hero sport a doughnut-shaped scar.

Louie: Did Marietta's pimply formation ever fade?

J.K. Rowling: Eventually, but it left a few scars. I loathe a traitor!

Katie B: Why was Kings Cross the place Harry went to when he died?

J.K. Rowling: For many reasons. The name works rather well, and it has been established in the books as the gateway between two worlds, and Harry would associate it with moving on between two worlds (don’t forget that it is Harry’s image we see, not necessarily what is really there.

J.K. Rowling: We seem to have over-run. We’ve had over 120,000 questions, I’ve been told! What can I say? Thank you so much for sticking with me, and with Harry, for so long. You have made this an incredible journey for Harry’s author.

J.K. Rowling: I like this question, so I’ll take it for my last.

Tess: What muggle song do you imagine would be played at Dumbledore's funeral?

J.K. Rowling: Surely ‘I did it my way’ by Frank Sinatra.

J.K. Rowling: I’m very aware I haven’t answered everything… keep an eye on my website, and I’ll try and answer some more questions in due course!
Thanks very much everybody, I’ve had a great time, and I hope I’ve covered some of the outstanding questions (I hear a distant roar of ‘YOU DIDN’T GET TO MINE!’)
That’s it… I’m Disapparating. Bye