Books turned movie... it's inevitable

Ok, honestly people. I think we're past the point of being surprised or indignant when a book we love is adapted for the big screen. It's going to happen eventually.

Yes, you can be upset and angsty about. It ruins the book. It changes X detail and leaves out a huge side plot. The people who portray Edward or Ginny or the Mad Hatter are NEVER going to live up your expectations. That's because they're imagined. And our imaginations are ALWAYS better than the real thing (or the real pretend thing, in this case).

As avid readers, we all should have owned up to it long ago: real life is never as good as the book. Isn't that why we turned to reading in the first place? It could just be me. Reading is always better than the reality. But that's my life philosophy and I'm sticking to it. =P

Once you accept the following:
a) Real life is not as good as it is in the stories.
b) The stories are always better than the movie.
b.2) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the ONLY exception to the rule.
c) Movies will always change side plots, details and sometimes major pieces of the book. Expect it to happen.

Then, then you can learn to enjoy the film adaptations for that they are: sometimes decent movies -- if you can consider them on their own as a MOVIE. More often than not, they're not very good. (Ahem, Eragon). But sometimes, if you let it, Hollywood really can still surprise you.

I finally learned to accept this sometime between high school and now. As such, I was in for a surprise with the latest Warner Bros. offering of HP: I REALLY enjoyed Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I went in with very few expectations, given how Order of the Phoenix turned out, and actually loved it.

Yes, they didn't show nearly enough of the memories Dumbledore shared with Harry of Voldemort. Yes, they left the rest of the Hogwarts kids out of the final Snape/Dumbledore battle scene. Yes, Ginny isn't nearly as fiery and cool as she is in the book. We didn't get to see Mr. Weasley in the hospital and thus learn more about Neville and his parents.

BUT, the dialogue was better than ever. Ron, Harry and Hermoine actually had funny moments. Luna was still great. Slughorn was great, Snape was awesome as usual. It was a suspenseful, good, well-shot action movie.

And now, for the first time in years, I'm excited for the next HP movie. I was a bit irritated over it being split into two films (Come on, Warner Bros: If New Line can manage to keep RotK to a 3+ hour film, you can keep HP 7 as one movie. But let's be honest: they have to milk the franchise for everything it's worth, because what else have they got going for them?)... but, at least now I am hoping it will be an ending the series deserves, just like Rowling delivered (which Stephenie Meyer did not. But I'll save the Twilight rant for next time).

I like music too much?

Ok, this is by far my favorite survey ever, so forgive me, but I'm totally doing it again:

My Life According to Snow Patrol

Are you a male or female?
Velocity Girl

Describe yourself:
If I’d Found the Right Words to Say

How do you feel:
Same

Describe where you currently live:
An Olive Grove Facing the Sea

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Finish Line

Your favorite form of transportation:
Run

Your best friend is:
Last Lone Gunman/Favourite Friend

Your favorite color is:
Black and Blue/The Golden Floor

What's the weather like:
Warmer Climate

Favorite time of day:
Firelight

If your life was a tv show, what would it be called:
Grazed Knees

What is life to you:
One Night Is Not Enough

Your relationships:
Wow

Your fear:
Making Enemies

What is the best advice you have to give:
Make Up

If you could change your name, you would change it to:
Chocolate

Thought for the Day:
It’s Beginning to Get to Me

How I would like to die:
The Last Shot Ringing in my Ears

My soul's present condition:
Perfect Little Secret

My motto:
If There’s a Rocket, Tie Me To It

I know, I know... I have too much time on my hands. Working to remedy this, promise.

Finding That Balance Again

Ok, after complaining, I am making a conscious effort to be happy about life. So, good things in life at the moment:

• I am not homeless, even if I have to push the closing date on my house back because gifts and loans are stupid (at least official ones).
• A TON of awesome amazing concerts, including... Pete Yorn
• The Decemberists
• Snow Patrol
• Ingrid Michaelson
• Paper Route and/or Regina Spektor (possibly)
• Fixing up and painting said house, once it is actually bought, with Neil
• Having a job, even if I work in the basement and share an office with my boss. heh.
• I have a tomato plant, and have successfully kept it alive for four months now. So far, it has even given me TWO tomatoes. Ahhhhmazing.
• I also have a BBMF that comes to see me at work and drop off Pop Tarts. It's pretty awesome, really.

Are Mondays Falling on a 13th Supposed to be Cursed, too?

No, really... 'cause everything that could possibly go wrong yesterday, pretty much did -- from insurance companies denying prescriptions that they have been filling for the first half of 2009 to catching pizza on fire in the oven to Chewy deciding he hates children.

Yeah, Chewy hates little people. Neil and I took the dogs for a walk yesterday, and there were these two little girls selling lemonade for .20 cents a glass. I am all for supporting the sale of lemonade, so we went over to them to buy a glass, and when one of the girls came over to hand me my glass, Chewy went nuts -- barking and growling and lunging at her... and coming VERY close to biting her.

I'm a bit devastated. Chewy has never been aggressive, really. Stupid, absolutely, aggressive, no. And I have no idea what to do to make sure he doesn't do it again, aside from making sure he isn't ever around kids. Thinking back, he has not really been around kids at all before -- but why would be stupidly friendly with adults and insanely aggressive and nervous around children?