Plan for the Future

Yesterday, I sang at a funeral for a member of the church. I don't know if he knew me, but his wife does. As I was sitting in my seat, my mind begins to wander, as it does. I was looking at the coffin and the size of it dawned something in my mind.

My brother is three years younger than. Women tend to live longer than men, so it's entirely possible that I will live longer than my brother. The thought occurred to me that finding a coffin long enough to fit him might be a problem. Would we have to get one long enough or would they break his legs to fit him in? Would he even want to be buried? He's very into zombies and the zombie apocalypse right now, so would he want to be cremated to ensure he doesn't come back as a zombie? I realized that, while my brother and I are close, he has never mentioned these ideas to me.

So I asked him. Before I could get very far, he immediately stopped me and said that he didn't want to talk about that, the idea really disturbs him and to never mention it again.

I was a little surprised by this. Most people in my family know that I want to be cremated and have a general idea of what music I want for my funeral (Faure's Requiem, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent, Jesu Lover of My Soul, O God Our Help in Ages Past and (if I die at the right time of year) St. Patrick's Breastplate).

Maybe I'm more open about this kind of thing. Maybe I'm more realistic. Maybe my brother is too sensitive about this topic.

Or maybe I'm just morbid.

In-depth Harry Potterness

I'm a nerd, yes? That's pretty much agreeable. We also know that I'm in Pottermore. Well, I just want to give you some ideas on the information we've been given. First, a detailed background into Professor MacGonagall's life. Second, after a series of questions at the appropriate times, you're given a wand and house. Here's a little detail that J.K. Rowling has provided on my wand and my house.

Wand

10 and a half inches, Sycamore with Unicorn, Unyielding

The sycamore makes a questing wand, eager for new experience and losing brilliance if engaged in mundane activities. It is a quirk of these handsome wands that they may combust if allowed to become ‘bored,’ and many witches and wizards, settling down into middle age, are disconcerted to find their trusty wand bursting into flame in their hand as they ask it, one more time, to fetch their slippers. As may be deduced, the sycamore’s ideal owner is curious, vital and adventurous, and when paired with such an owner, it demonstrates a capacity to learn and adapt that earns it a rightful place among the world's most highly-prized wand woods.

Unicorn hair generally produces the most consistent magic, and is least subject to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They are the most faithful of all wands, and usually remain strongly attached to their first owner, irrespective of whether he or she was an accomplished witch or wizard.

Minor disadvantages of unicorn hair are that they do not make the most powerful wands (although the wand wood may compensate) and that they are prone to melancholy if seriously mishandled, meaning that the hair may 'die' and need replacing.

Once being placed in Slytherin, while even wanting to be in that house, I was a little surprised. I had figured I'd be placed in Ravenclaw. But then I read the welcome message, again another amazing thing from JKR, who must have created these for all four houses.

Congratulations! I’m Prefect Gemma Farley, and I’m delighted to welcome you to SLYTHERIN HOUSE. Our emblem is the serpent, the wisest of creatures; our house colours are emerald green and silver, and our common room lies behind a concealed entrance down in the dungeons. As you’ll see, its windows look out into the depths of the Hogwarts lake. We often see the giant squid swooshing by – and sometimes more interesting creatures. We like to feel that our hangout has the aura of a mysterious, underwater shipwreck.

Now, there are a few things you should know about Slytherin – and a few you should forget.

Firstly, let’s dispel a few myths. You might have heard rumours about Slytherin house – that we’re all into the Dark Arts, and will only talk to you if your great-grandfather was a famous wizard, and rubbish like that. Well, you don’t want to believe everything you hear from competing houses. I’m not denying that we’ve produced our share of Dark wizards, but so have the other three houses – they just don’t like admitting it. And yes, we have traditionally tended to take students who come from long lines of witches and wizards, but nowadays you’ll find plenty of people in Slytherin house who have at least one Muggle parent.

Here’s a little-known fact that the other three houses don’t bring up much: Merlin was a Slytherin. Yes, Merlin himself, the most famous wizard in history! He learned all he knew in this very house! Do you want to follow in the footsteps of Merlin? Or would you rather sit at the old desk of that illustrious ex-Hufflepuff, Eglantine Puffett, inventor of the Self-Soaping Dishcloth?

I didn’t think so.

But that’s enough about what we’re not. Let’s talk about what we are, which is the coolest and edgiest house in this school. We play to win, because we care about the honour and traditions of Slytherin.

We also get respect from our fellow students. Yes, some of that respect might be tinged with fear, because of our Dark reputation, but you know what? It can be fun, having a reputation for walking on the wild side. Chuck out a few hints that you’ve got access to a whole library of curses, and see whether anyone feels like nicking your pencil case.

But we’re not bad people. We’re like our emblem, the snake: sleek, powerful, and frequently misunderstood.

For instance, we Slytherins look after our own – which is more than you can say for Ravenclaw. Apart from being the biggest bunch of swots you ever met, Ravenclaws are famous for clambering over each other to get good marks, whereas we Slytherins are brothers. The corridors of Hogwarts can throw up surprises for the unwary, and you’ll be glad you’ve got the Serpents on your side as you move around the school. As far as we’re concerned, once you’ve become a snake, you’re one of ours – one of the elite.

Because you know what Salazar Slytherin looked for in his chosen students? The seeds of greatness. You’ve been chosen by this house because you’ve got the potential to be great, in the true sense of the word. All right, you might see a couple of people hanging around the common room whom you might not think are destined for anything special. Well, keep that to yourself. If the Sorting Hat put them in here, there’s something great about them, and don’t you forget it.

And talking of people who aren’t destined for greatness, I haven’t mentioned the Gryffindors. Now, a lot of people say that Slytherins and Gryffindors represent two sides of the same coin. Personally, I think Gryffindors are nothing more than wannabe Slytherins. Mind you, some people say that Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor prized the same kinds of students, so perhaps we are more similar than we like to think. But that doesn’t mean that we cosy up with Gryffindors. They like beating us only slightly less than we like beating them.

A few more things you might need to know: our house ghost is the Bloody Baron. If you get on the right side of him he’ll sometimes agree to frighten people for you. Just don’t ask him how he got bloodstained; he doesn’t like it.

The password to the common room changes every fortnight. Keep an eye on the noticeboard. Never bring anyone from another house into our common room or tell them our password. No outsider has entered it for more than seven centuries.

Well, I think that’s all for now. I’m sure you’ll like our dormitories. We sleep in ancient four-posters with green silk hangings, and bedspreads embroidered with silver thread. Medieval tapestries depicting the adventures of famous Slytherins cover the walls, and silver lanterns hang from the ceilings. You’ll sleep well; it’s very soothing, listening to the lake water lapping against the windows at night.

Yup. If I was really in Hogwarts, I'd be at home in Slytherin. I just hope I don't get in trouble posting this.

PS. I've edited this several times to be able to show what's my words and what's Pottermore's. But, for some reason, blogspot doesn't want me to. Hopefully, by bolding my words, you can tell the difference.

More Aches and Harry's.

I've gone well over a week without caffeine. The only time I really feel it is when I wake up in the morning and in the middle of the afternoon when I usually have a pick-me-up. But it's not as bad as it could have been. I've been drinking hot chocolate at work, which is fine.

Unfortunately, I have more stomach issues. Sometimes it feels like some sort of acidic, gassy thing in my stomach. First, it was after eating certain foods. Then, it was after eating anything. Now, I've had it all day. I'll probably end up back to my doctor's on Monday for something else.

And it's not in anyone one place! It moves around which makes it seem more like gas than stomach acid. Any pharmacy/nurse/doctor students or professional have ideas? I'm drinking peppermint tea which is helping calm the belly. But I can't just drink that all the time.

Got logged into PotterMore, but I guess since everyone else got their acceptance owls, the server has been crashing. I can't get in all the time and it's frequently down. Guess they underestimated the amount of people would be on there. However, I HAVE managed to get my wand! Sycamore, unicorn core, 10.5 inches, unyielding. Looks good. I'll post more about it once I can finally log in again. If you have PotterMore, add me! I'm KnightQuaffle198.

Speaking of which, just got in! TTYL!

Coffee free. God Help Me.

So, after Saturday's....adventure, I woke up Sunday with a killer stomach with lots of nauseous feelings. I stayed in bed most of the day. Naturally, I blamed it on the alcohol. However, when I woke up Monday and felt just as bad, I knew something wasn't right. What made it worse, I couldn't even physically touch my stomach without it hurting. So I went to the doctor. I told him that I was having night-time heart burn, but it was alleviated by taking an antacid at night and elevating my head and shoulders while sleeping. However, the past few nights I had nausea instead of heartburn (didn't mention the alcohol) and today my stomach was killing me. He told me to lie on the table and he pressed right in the center of where my pain was, and said "yup. Gastritis." It's an inflammation of the stomach which he said came about because of too much acid. The antacid at night is good but I needed more to get rid of all the pain. So he gave me a prescription and gave me strict orders about something.

No coffee.

Actually, no caffeine, which includes no coffee, no tea, no fizzy drinks, no colas. I could still drink decaf though, but that's not the same.

Right now, I'm on day 2 of no coffee. It's not easy. I'm tired a lot, loss of focus. Hopefully that won't last much longer. And I did have decaf, but no, it's not the same.

Intoxication

This entry is being written while I may or may not be slightly intoxicated. Leading slightly towards the may. I apologize in advance for the bad spelling/grammar.

So, today was my friend Wendy's (HI WENDY!!!) birthday party. At one point, my teacher pants came on, but it didn't work so well. See, I called the cabs to get us downtown. If you call a cab to go downtown at midnight, you have to call at like 11. I somehow managed to get one to come and they said it was on the way. I clapped my hands (you know...clap-clap-clapclapclap) to get attention. It didn't work. So I just yelled the cabs were on the way. Then the cabs were there. So then, I tried again to figure out who was going where. Didn't work out. Teacher pants off, hulk pants on. "Get off your ass and come on! CAB. IS. HEEEERE." Ok, maybe not like that. But still!

For most of the evening, teacher pants on again as I was frequently concerned where the other people were. I dunno where they were. I didn't like this. Like knowing where everyone is! I finally gave up and eventually made it home.

I'm getting too old for this, I think. That, or I can't lose myself in the alcoholness (Google says that's not a word.) and just forget everything. No! I don't like that. I need to be in control of my mind and my body. None of this drinking and waking up the next morning not sure how I got there. I know I got a cab home. It was a CO-OP cab, which I don't see very often. I know I'll be sleeping soon, in my own bed. I may or may not change clothes. I am getting quite tired. Point is, I am in control. Not the alcohol, ME. That's probably why I don't do drugs...I want my control. I like my control.

I may also be weirded out by the age differences of me and the downtown/club people. A lot of them...19, 20, 21...I'm 25. They're too young for me. That and I just have a dislike for the general population as a whole.

And I don't like this music they listen to. Except while drinking. And it needs a damn good bass/beat so I can dance. No, I can't dance to Journey. I don't know why Journey has become so popular all over again. Yes, I do like that other people know Don't Stop Believin', but how many other Journey songs can they name? Besides, I love loving a band that others haven't heard of. Not saying that everyone is like this. No way. I know this. But it seems that way. Prove me wrong, people!

I think I'm done now. Time to get a glass of water and then sleepy.

Night night.

Sicky time

Is it bad that sometimes I have to look back and see what was the last thing I wrote? Yeah, it's been a while.

So, I'm done WalMart for good now. Not going back, unless it's for shopping or bugging former co-workers, since that's always fun.

Like my computer, I'm sick. However, unlike my computer, I can't rest a bit and be normal for a bit. At least not yet. I'm not as sick as the rest of the house is. It seems most of my illness is in the sinuses. Hopefully it'll be better in the next day or two.

I'm also doing better. I guess just talking to other people and stuff is helping me get over things. I'm still scared to do so, but I try...a bit. Went back to POF but it seems like either the people I don't want to talk to want to talk to me, and the ones I want to talk to don't talk to me. Typical...I guess. But like I said...it's scary.

But now I must go and finish dishes. Just letting you know I'm alive.

Restless Computer Syndrome

You know those moments where you're bored, but not bored? Where you want something or do something but you don't know what? The point where you want to run around but want to lie there? Yeah I'm in that spot right now.

I've been busy in August. I only wrote 5 entries last month. I guess working two jobs will do that to you. But I'll be finishing Wal-Mart on Thursday. I'll miss some of the people I've met but I won't miss the customers. No offense to people that shop there, I'm one of you, but...wow some people make you want to stab yourself in the eye.

My computer hasn't been well. It's not too bad now, since I've done some scans (thanks to Brad) and took the back off to clean (thanks to Elliot for that one!). I couldn't clean it fully but it seems to have made a difference.

At least now I can multi-task. I couldn't earlier. Now I have Google Chrome, yahoo messenger and Windows Media Player open. Chrome has two tabs. Earlier, I would only be able to open one of those programs at a time, and have only one tab. So hopefully I can keep this all up until I can afford a new laptop. Maybe for Christmas, I'll just ask for money to go towards it so I can get a fancy, top of the line one.

Almost done book two of Song of Ice and Fire. Wow. Just amazing books. I picked up book three today since I knew I'd be finished this one soon. I try to avoid spoilers, but unfortunately I find the occasional one. In my head now, I'm trying to think of how it'll end and...well, I don't see one that doesn't involve a lot of people dead and some of the living still unhappy over the final outcome. It's going to be interesting few books now!

Not sure what else to say at the moment. I'm probably going to try WoW. I was playing earlier but my character kept dying because the computer would lag. Hopefully if I play now it'll be ok. Or use another character that won't get killed easily.

Hopefully once my computer gets over this "flu", I can download new music. I've had some recommendations and I know some of the bands that I listen to have or will have new music out. For now, I'll do with what I have.

I guess that's all for now. Thanks for staying tuned.