Meandering Starre

After being a fan for more than a year, I’ve now read a story for Escape Pod. well, not a whole story, just part of one. I’m the interviewer in “How I Mounted Goldie, Saved My Partner Lori, and Sniffed Out The People’s Justice.” Stephen, of Escape Pod, was the dog. My throat hurt for him while we were reading it. While I’ve not listened to it yet, the story is a good one, so I recommend going right to the site and giving it a listen (and then subscribing to Escape Pod if you have not already).

I realize I must be besieging whichever readers have not run screaming from my training posts with more traning posts. So here is a non-training post. Short and sweet even (well for me, Meb).

As I was writing my last post Ani’s song “School Night” came up on iTunes. Whenever I hear this song, it makes me stop and think. She does a great job of making one feel what they “main character” of the song feels–the struggle of love and overcommitment to another love, even if the struggle is foreign to the listener. The lyrics are so well done. And the part about the mom… Why don’t I share (okay not so short):

what of the mother
whose house is in flames
and both of her children
are in their beds crying
and she loves them both
with the whole of her heart
but she knows she can only
carry one at a time?
she’s choking on the smoke
of unthinkable choices
she is haunted by the voices
of so many desires
she’s bent over from the business
of begging forgiveness
while frantically running around
putting out fires
- ani difranco “School Night”

What can I say, Ani rocks!

As a runner, I am very careful about what I put on my feet when running. I am also a bit of a shoe horse and love funky shoes of the heeled sort. However, I do not combine the heels with the running. That would be insane, right?

Well, regardless there is a stiletto heel race for women in Amsterdam. It is not too long, 380-yards, but the stilettos must be at least 3.5 inches! Sounds like torture to me! In fact, I think my facial expression would be the same as the woman in second place.

The prize is $15,000 and the winner, when asked how she would spend the prize, smartly said she would spend it on “anything but high heels.”

Image from CNews.

I could rant for quite a while about how true this comic is. In stead (beyond these few words), I’ll let it speak for itself:

For those of you who own cats and are jealous of all the cool dog clothing and accessories out there—be jealous no more. Now you can buy wigs for your cats!

I kid you not. Wigs for cats. I know no self-respecting cat that would wear a wig. I think most cats may find a wig to be a really fun toy, but not a fashion accessory. I have no idea how the person got the cats to stay still for these pictures. My best theory is drugs—the cats must be drugged. Oh, and the wigs ain’t cheap. Can you say $50?! Now that is an expensive cat toy! It does come with a nice metal wig toy case!

I love this line: “When not in use, the wig should always be stored in its pawproof case.” We all know why that is. Translation: “When you are not torturing you cat by making them wear a wig, put the wig back into this cat destruction-proof tin before the cat can destroy the wig. But do be careful as the cat may try to destroy you as soon as the wig is hidden since you tried to make her wear it.”

[side note: look up destruction-proof on Google and the first link has to do with cat toys. Too funny!]

I think I will keep my cat’s self-respect and my $50 bucks. I have better things to spend the $50 on—like my own accessories (shoes!).

Okay all that said I do kinda like the pink and blue ones…

Since becoming a triathlete my husband has begun watching the televised Ironmans. I’ve watched one previously with him and today watched a bit of the Ironman Hawaii with him. For those who don’t know, the Ironman Hawaii is THE Ironman. People must qualify for it and it is the world championship

About 5 minute into my watching I made this comment “they really need a commentator who has actually done a triathlon.” I don’t even require a commentator that has done an Ironman, but any old triathlon, even a sprint. Or maybe a marathon, or some endurance event in at least one of the three areas. Something! He was clueless. He even made some rather insulting comments at few points. He does not understand why it means to be an endurance athlete and many of his comments made this clear. I got the most pissed off at this one: “sunset at the Ironman makes you ask yourself questions about why people would want to punish themselves and for so long.” Yes, the Ironman is just an exercise in masochism. Pretty soon they will come out with a line of leather Ironman gear, complete with self-flogging devices. Come on! I don’t know any endurance athlete who does it for the punishment. The reason a person does an Ironman has nothing to do with pain or punishment. It may have to do with accomplishment, meeting a goal, the endorphins, a desire to push one’s self, and much more. But not punishment. I’ve never heard anyone say “I’ve been such a bad girl/boy today so I’m going to do an Ironman. I need the punishment.”

Obviously, he has no idea of what he is talking about. Can’t NBC do better? Get one of those retired professional Ironman athletes or even your average triathlete to be the commenter. Goodness, my husband and I would be better than this commentator. Now that would be a cool job. NBC, give us a call. We’d be happy to do the commentary for the Hawaii Ironman. We may need a few weeks on location before it…

Commentary aside, it is always cool to watch these. As something of an endurance athlete and a triathlete, I can feel their pain and accomplishment and understand, to some degree, what is gong on. Plus, just watching people accomplish such a difficult race is inspiring. Chrissie Wellington, the first place woman, had never competed in an Ironman before. She won, and it was her first! This is amazing. People work for years to qualify and more years to do well. She also won her first marathon. I wish I had her genes.

Yes, Dumbledore was gay, according to JK Rowling, who was speaking at Carnegie Hall (from a boingboing post). I am sure this will give the book burning, school library banning, anti-Harry Potter zealots new fuel for their fires (literally and figuratively). But, it is nice to see more gay characters in fiction, especially “children’s” fiction (fantasy). It is too bad that this acknowledgment came after the last book and that Rowling did not make Dumbledore clearly gay and out in the series. Perhaps Rowling is suggesting that Harry lives in a world where things like race (various characters) and homosexuality are such a part of the society that they do not need to be “noted,” but somehow I doubt this.

Now I need to reread the series to get the hints (Grindelwald, for instance, is apparently one of Dumbledore’s loves, which explains a ton). I already wanted to reread it based on the Snape explanations in the last books (vague to not give any spoilers). Now, I just have more to read for.

Okay, I’m trying something. A test of sorts. Besides I apparently like e-stalkers. Who doesn’t right? So, if case you did not guess it, I am *trying* twitter. But twitter works best if you have lots of cool people that you are… twitting with. So, if you are a cool person (and if you read this you have to be at least kinda cool, or kinda bored) and you have a twitter account let me know who you are and I’ll follow you and you can follow me and we can fill the world with simple harmony. Or at least we can stalk each other (in a non invasive scary way, because real stalking is not actually a good thing. This post in no way supports real stalking. And I say this as someone whose been cyber-stalked). BTW I am Starre (can’t believe there was no Starre!).

Both Bill and I reread the whole Harry Potter series to prepare for the final book. In this reread we spent much time discussing the books and refining our own theories on what has happened. I do not have the time to sit down and discuss the big issues (like whether Snape is good or bad (good obviously)) or even any of my big theories, but I would like to put out a few last observation and thoughts on what book seven should include on this last day before the book is released into out frenzied hands. [Note: my list is not parallel. This drives the professor in me crazy, but not crazy enough to fix it.]

• Halloween: Bill pointed out to me that Harry’s parents were killed on Halloween. After he pointed this out, I realized that in the first four books major events happen on Halloween. So, I think Halloween may play a major role in this book. Plus this is the whole hallow part of the title…
• Why Dumbledore trusted Snape
• Why Snape wanted to teach Defense against the Dark Arts so much and why Dumbledore would not let him (Bill thinks it is because Dumbledore knew the job was cursed and wanted Snape to stay around).
• Fred and George’s Defense Against the Dark Arts merchandise must come into play and be used by the good side.
• Neville must have a role in this book, especially given his own link to the prophecy. I think his wand will also be important, especially since it was one of Olliander’s last.
• In book six (or five but I think six) Mrs. Weasley makes the comments that Harry has saved half her family. I wonder if he will end up saving the rest.
• Bill wonders if Percy may be one of the ones who will die, especially since JK has separated us from him of late (this may impact what I just said above).
• I hope we see Krum back and he plays some role. I think he may be needed to force Hermione and Ron and resolve the minor love triangle.
• This is based more on knowledge of the British School genre, but Ron must some how “get” Draco (not Harry). This is Ron’s job. Be interesting to see how he does it.
• I wonder if Trevor will do something instead of just trying to escape.
• Luna must play some role. She is the comic relief and the suggested romance between her and Neville is interesting (but I kind of think Neville deserves someone more normal. I don’t know if he can handle her weirdness).
• I have one more thing but I can’t read it.

Then there are the big questions, like the horcruxes, who will die, how wormtail will repay his life debt to Harry, how Snape will prove his loyalty to Dumbledore’s side (save Harry by sacrificing himself, of course) and more, but those have been much debated and discussed and if I went into my thoughts here I’d be here for ever and you would probably stop reading my long posts. So, to save us all some time I won’t go there (but I am always open for discussions). Instead I will save my enthusiasm and theories for 12:01 am. I am both very excited and a bit sad to see it end. And like everyone else I am curious as to whether the “boy who lived” continues to do so.

Today is the last day before we know. Before we know what happens to the “boy who live” and before we know how “he-who-must-no-be-named” is (or isn’t) defeated. Today is a landmark day in popular culture. After nine years of waiting for some of us (fewer for most like myself) the seven book odyssey is about to come to an end. At 12:01 am Saturday Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released to the world and the questions we have been asking and discussing for the past nine years will finally be answered. It is almost over. Today is the last day before the world knows. It is a big day, possibly the biggest pop culture event in my lifetime. The series already sold 325 million copies worldwide, and Scholastic is doing a first printing of 12 million book sevens in the US. Millions of people across the globe are waiting eagerly and some even a bit sadly to see what happens and to read this final book. Get the tissues out and prepare to be proven right or wrong. After today we will know. It is our last day of innocence.