Queer for Harry

When I mention that the seventh Harry Potter book will be released on July 21st casual acquaintances assume I know because I have kids. Well...it started that way. My older son first got interested in the Harry Potter books when he was 7 years old. A friend suggested I read ahead of him to help edit out anything that seemed a little too mature or scary along the way. He reads fast -- but I read faster, and it wasn't just to keep up. I had turned into one of the millions and millions: I loved them.

Then we got my husband to read them and he got sucked in too -- devoured each, one by one. One recent excited conversation between the two of us concerned how to secure a baby sitter when the new movie comes up so that we can see it the week it comes out.

Yes -- I know.

Don't worry. I admit this is some equivalent of being a "Treky," and admitting you have a problem is the first step -- right?

I admit that this is some equivalent of being a "Treky," and admitting you have a problem is the first step -- right? Oh but wait!! There are people way more into this stuff than I am and that makes me feel like less of a freak. The above is an image from one of the many sites devoted to Harry Potter fan art and fan fiction. What I love about this image is that the central figure shooting a gold-colored spell (yes -- that is what he is doing -- stay with me!) is depicting a character named Remus Lupin. Compare this Aeroesmith-super-hero-action-figure to the actor who plays Remus in the Harry Potter films. Less rock-n-roll, wouldn't you agree? It begs the question: what other fans spend their time rewriting and recasting the images of their beloved obsession to make them sexier? That's right friends -- send the kids out of the room because now we're talking about Harry Potter soft core porn. Yes indeed. And what the outlet seems to afford is not only the realization of all of the characters hooking up in one way or another...but all of the characters finally coming out of the closet as well. Will J.K Rowling have the guts to end her series with these truths included? I'll be in line at 11:30 pm on July 20th at my local Border's Book Store to find out.

Life

During the last week my son turned seven and three homicides occured in one of the neighborhoods where I work. In choosing whether I should write about life or death - I have gone for life.




Here is what came up when I went searching for images under the simple term: "Life."




Yeah...I'm not sure about this one. But it came up. I believe it has to do with this man's life. A day in the life of a really limber guy.






Apparently this means "long life." It makes me think about all the Chinese character tatoos I have seen on white people. I often wonder which ones actually mean "dumb ass."





Here's an old friend...remember Mikey ("He won't eat it! He hates everything!")? I do. I also remember the urban myth that circulated in my grammer school years that he died in a freak Pop Rocks and Pepsi accident. That makes me think of those Mentos in Diet Coke explosions. Ick. Poor Mikey.

If you had to pick an image that meant life -- what would that image be?