Monthly Archives: August 2014

Quote of the Day

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“How d’you spell ‘belligerent’?” said Ron, shaking his quill very hard while staring at his parchment.  “It can’t be B — U — M —”

“No, it isn’t,” said Hermione, pulling Ron’s essay toward her.  “And ‘augury’ doesn’t begin with O — R — G either.  What kind of quill are you using?”
“It’s one of Fred and George’s Spell-Check ones . . . but I think the charm must be wearing off. . . .”

“Yes, it must,” said Hermione, pointing at the title of his essay, “because we were asked how we’d deal with dementors, not ‘Dugbogs,’ and I don’t remember you changing your name to ‘Roonil Wazlib’ either.”

“Ah no!” said Ron, staring horror-struck at the parchment.  “Don’t say I’ll have to write the whole thing out again!”

“It’s okay, we can fix it,” said Hermione, pulling the essay toward her and taking out her wand.

“I love you, Hermione,” said Ron, sinking back in his chair, rubbing his eyes wearily.

Hermion turned faintly pink, but merely said, “Don’t let Lavender hear you saying that.”

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – J.K. Rowling

Quote of the Day

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Buffy:  The school talent show. How ever did you finagle such a primo assignment?

Giles:  Our new Führer, Mr. Snyder.

Willow:  I think they call ’em ‘principals’ now.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 1: Episode 9 – “The Puppet Show”

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy

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Story is made up of much more than plot. I’ve often seen movies with original or unique plots praised for having a great “story,” while other movies get criticized for a dull “story” when in actuality they mean a predictable plot. To me, I envision the term “story” to be the equivalent of everyone sitting around a campfire listening to someone spin a tale. I’d much rather hear a familiar yarn interestingly told, by someone who knows the best way to engage those of us around the fire, read the audience and hit our emotions, rather than someone who tells a completely unique series of events but does so in a flat monotone, convinced that their plot is interesting enough to excuse them from doing the hard work required to make the story engaging. Why do I bring this up? It’s because Guardians of the Galaxy has a plot that is derivative and predictable, but it is so wonderfully, cleverly and creatively told that as a “story” it is one of the most unique and unpredictable I’ve watched in a long time.

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Quote of the Day

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In this large and fierce world of ours, there are many, many unpleasant places to be.  You can be in a river swarming with angry electric eels, or in a supermarket filled with vicious long-distance runners.  You can be in a hotel that has no room service, or you can be lost in a forest that is slowly filling up with water.  You can be in a hornet’s nest or in an abandoned airport or in the office of a pediatric surgeon, but one of the most unpleasant things that can happen is to find yourself in a quandary.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Vile Village – Lemony Snicket

Quote of the Day

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Worf: There are six trials we must face on the path to Kal’Hyah. This is the first – deprivation. We now begin a fast that will continue until the day of the wedding.

Julian Bashir: That’s four days away.

Martok: It is a short time, I know, but we must make the best of it.

Benjamin Sisko: What are the other five trials?

Worf: Blood, pain, sacrifice, anguish, and death.

Julian Bashir: Sounds like marriage alright.

Miles O’Brien: How would you know?

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 6: Episode 7 – “You Are Cordially Invited”

Quote of the Day

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“What happened?”
“Cracked skull,” said Madam Pomfrey, bustling up and pushing him back against his pillows.  “Nothing to worry about, I mended it at once, but I’m keeping you in overnight.  You shouldn’t overexert yourself for a few hours.”

“I don’t want to stay here overnight,” said Harry angrily, sitting up and throwing back his covers.  “I want to find McLaggen and kill him.”
“I’m afraid that would come under the heading of ‘overexertion,'” said Madam Pomfrey, pushing him firmly back onto the bed and raising her wand in a threatening manner.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – J.K. Rowling