Oh yeah . . . the book. While waiting in a terribly long, and surprisingly fast moving, line I read the first chapter and some change. No don't worry, no spoilers here, I will say it was a very different first chapter than the previous installments.

Now if I can:
(a) find the time to read the book
(b) avoid finding anything out about it until (a) is accomplished

I think I'll have to avoid the 'net for a few days . . .

Well, like so many, many Americans (and Brits and maybe even the Canadians) ) my family was at Barnes & Noble at midnight. Following a church activity, we didn't have time to deposit the kids anywhere, so at 10 o'clock my 4, 3, and 1 yr old come tromping into the Harry Potter party.

Now all my kids know about Harry is that mommy and daddy really like him, and they've seen the trailers for the movies on some of their videos. But they got caught up in all the excitement--the boys got lightning bolts painted on their foreheads, got their picture taken with a cardboard Harry, etc. And all the people dressed up in costumes! Too cool.

It was actually pretty neat--I wish we weren't carrying tired kids around so we could've really gotten into things, but there was a good atmosphere. Okay, I talked to one clerk who was very happy that, unlike The Goblet of Fire she was working on the cash register end--"the happy end"--wherein she was dealing with people who had books. Last time around she had to deal with those ninnies who didn't preorder, and therefore didn't get a book (how insane do you have to be to actually think for a nanosecond that you're going to get a book like this by just walking in from the street with hundreds of crazed fans already in the store?) Oh yeah, I was talking about the nice atmosphere.

All these kids (10-60 in age) assembled to get their hands on a book--to be excited about reading a book. I know, I know this keeps getting brought up as one of the positive things about the series, but it was very satisfying to see this much interest in something that didn't feature CGI.

Anyhow, we had fun--the kids got an interesting experience, and a nap in the van--

and we got the book

Garsh, it seems like the blogger site is working re-e-a-a-a-lly slow today, just hours after The Order of the Phoenix came out, coincidence?

ohhhh boyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyoh. Things are looking better for a Hitchhiker's Guide movie.

Got a stack of about 30 Ministerial Information Forms in the mail today--questionnaires that men seeking a call in the OPC fill out. Man oh man, I remember thinking it tough when I was in Human Resources looking through applications, trying to pick the "better" candidates. Pfui, that was ease with a capital "ease."

Well, our church lost it's pastor last week--off to another call. This was tougher than I'd expected--I figured the 6 months I'd had to get used to the idea would've taken the sting out of it for me, but it didn't. The man was part of every significant thing that happened to me over the last 7 years--he married my wife and I (well, performed the service), bapstised my children, officiated at my ordination, presided at all but 2 of the Lord's Suppers I'd had in that time, and kept me well-fed with sermons week by week.

And then . . . .he's gone.

What makes it worse is that I didn't know how to say anything to him about it all.

Man! Why, oh, why didn't a single cable station carry the game featuring Roger's 300th win (finally!!) & 4000th strikeout?!? Why? Why? Why?

The highlights alone aren't enough.

Course when I relate the story immediately below, the evanjellyfish in the next cubicle responds with, "Doesn't he know you shouldn't judge?"

Wife just called me to relate a kid story before she forgot.

Son #2 hits Son #1. Son #1 turns and says, "You just sinned against me. You broke God's law by commission." Which really impresses the Mrs.

Impresses me, too, but less so than the Mrs., as I know he's just regurgitating a talking-to I gave him last night. Still, he was paying attention--that's good.

watched 7/9 of The Animatrix last night. The animation--fantastic. The stories--eh. A couple of great ones, a couple of lame ones. . . .

Call me Ishmael, er, no Noah, er, um. Just call me all wet.

Here's how things went for me, after weeks of working a little here and there, I devote myself to finishing off my office. I get it perfect (at least for my needs) on Tuesday. Books are in their proper place, toy collection all displayed (some quite creatively), nothing but floor space for kids to play on, me to stretch out on.

And then Thursday, there's a break in an irrigation line, water comes in the window (office in the basement)--right behind my bookshelves. So, after stopping the water, I have to move 1000+ books, and the bookshelves out of the way pronto. Oh, did I mention this was at midnight? No damage done, thankfully.

Now I've got bookshelves on their side, squeezed into a triangle around my office, allowing me only enough room to snake into my deskchair, so we can get the carpet pulled back to dry it and the pad out. Books in stacks everywhere--can't find some (the ones I was wanting to quote from for projects this week, of course). And it's starting to smell--a lot.

blech.

Jeter's going to be the 11th captain for the Yankees--cool.