Vah! Denuone Latine loquebar?

(trans. "Oh! Was I speaking Latin again?")

Today's the traditional day around here for the last minute bursts of activity in preparation for the upcoming school year. Most of which would've been done by someone far more organized by myself (like, say, TLomL) earlier than today--but if I didn't procrastinate weeks/days ago, what would I do today? Thought I'd take a quick break and mention a resource that some of you might be interested in (am sure some of my readers have this site and others like it bookmarked, but just in case)

I was doing a bit of reading this afternoon, trying to remind myself of the benefits to the Offspring learning Latin (only Frodo will be doing a formal Latin curriculum, but the rest will be getting ready). Not that I needed the reminder, but I do need to be ready to respond to the extended family's "What, your kids aren't oddly educated enough already?" type questions. The website for the National Committee for Latin and Greek is quite the handy resource for these type of answers, along with some nifty propaganda to convince prospective students to take up the subjects.

The flyer, Harry Potter Knows Latin!, for example, is a nifty sampling of some the more common spells non-Muggles learn at Hogwarts and their Latin roots. I can't imagine it's that convincing, but it's cute.

Frankly, I find Henry Beard's books on the subject (some samples are here), to be a much greater incentive, but hey, whatever works...

Living with the Top of Our Son's Head

This is pretty much all we've seen over the last week of Frodo. It's mostly encouraging, but a little strange at the same time.

Frodo, like his siblings, reads more than your average kid--he really has no choice in this household, like I've intended it all along (TLomL has intended it, too...probably not as intensely as me).^* I should add that it's not all by coercion, he actually enjoys reading. Granted, he's not at the level I was at his age, but that's probably a good thing. He might actually have a social life in a couple of years.

Things changed a week ago, though. After repeated suggestions from his parents over the last few months, he pulled down Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone from the shelf and dove in. I'm not going to be one of the roughly 97 bazillion people to use the line about Rowling casting a spell on him, but...she basically did that. He's been plowing through them at a rate he's never hit before--seven days after he started Sorcerer's Stone, he started in on Half-Blood Prince. Samwise has been following his lead, but not at the same rate.

What's more, he's devoted hours to this project--he's ignored opportunities to play outside, to play video games (not every opportunity, mind you), to do basically everything he normally does so that he can sit with a Potter novel open in front of him.

I do realize that parents all over the world have experience this phenomenon. It's just great to see this in action. Never would've figured the top of his head would be such a great thing to look at (cowlick and all).


^* Can I legally call that a sentence? Someone grab a Defibrillator for my inner-editor...

Dumbledore's Outing

I'm assuming by now you've all heard that J. K. Rowling outed Dumbledore in Australia last week. Now obviously, I'm not going to be excited by this--but I'm not going to use this an excuse to rant about the morality of a fictional character. One of the strengths of the series was that every character was flawed, they all did heroic things (well, except You Know Who and some of his cohort), and they all acted foolishly and immorally. Dumbledore was no exception to this at all. So adding one more sin to his list really doesn't affect what I think of him.

And that's what bothers me the most about what Rowling did--it doesn't really add to, or detract from, the character. There's one attraction in his youth, apparently unrequited, which has really no affect whatsoever on the events in the series. So was this just Rowling needing to get her name in the headlines again? (not sure I buy that) Her trying to make some sort of political statement? (eh, maybe). I'm not sure, it seems so purposeless, senseless to do this.

Now, is Deckard a Replicant or not? That makes a difference. Is Hobbes really alive or a stuffed toy? That makes a difference. This? I just don't see how it matters. No more than knowing what third-world country Fez is from.

Then John C. Wright weighs in on the issue, and helps me see another problem with her announcement (Fabio Paolo Barbieri's comments are great, as well). Potter fans, take a second or and read 'em.

H/T: Thanks, bluewoad for catching the typo.

Really shouldn't have taken the time when I did, but...

I'm done. And to steal a phrase from Nero Wolfe, all I have to say for the moment is, "Most satisfactory."

First time I remember wanting my shift to be longer...

Cracked this open for the first time last night, shortly after my shift started. At 6:25, when I had to take care of some end-of-shift chores, I had 100 pages left.

100 pages!!!

My kingdom for another 40 minutes!

Leaving Barnes & Noble Last Night

Betcha can't guess why we were there...

(Obviously, it was the large Magic Tree House display in the kids' section that drew us)

'bout sums it up for me

(click on the image to see the strip in its full size)

Say it just like Toy Story's Little Green Men... (link fixed)

"Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhh!"

Deathly Hallows cover released (a wrap around!).

Click here for a full image, and non-US covers.

Really? Really?

from Sci Fi Wire:

J.K. Rowling announced on Dec. 21 the title of her upcoming seventh and final Harry Potter book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, according to her British publisher, Bloomsbury. The publication date has not been set, though it's expected in 2007.

Deathly Hallows? uhhh. oookay. If you ask me, it doesn't have the ring of and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone; ...and the Chamber of Secrets; ...and the Prisoner of Azkaban; or ...and the Goblet of Fire.

Ah well...who cares what it's called? It's one step closer to being here!!

How has Rusty not Blogged this Yet?

Seriously! The dude's slipping.

Oh well, I've got his back. Released last week: the first poster.

(click to enlarge)

Listen to 'em, Ma'am!

Let Harry live!