HAPPY BIRTHDAY DON!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!

Yeah, I know, that sounds a little self gratifying, but it's my blog and I'll write what I want to. ;-)

I got a couple of e-cards this morning. One from my friend Bill, with whom I do theater with, and we do special effects for certain things. Like at the Hoover Museum for Halloween and we did some FXs for a show on Discovery Health. Anyway, it was a really cute card from Blue Mountain.

The other was from another theater friend of mine. Her name is Carol. She is a really fun person to be around. When you get a chance to be around her. Busy, busy, busy. When she gets going on her laugh, she snorts once in a while, which makes her and everyone else laugh even more. She sent me a card from Hallmark that was like these two manic rabbits screaming happy birthday and yelling about confetti and having fun, and cake, and whatever. Glad I had the sound turned down a little bit.

Got some cards in the mail this week. One from a family friend Charlie, and one from my parents, who for some reason forgot to sign the card. It made me chuckle.

This afternoon we are going to a baby shower for yet another theater couple, then tonight we are going to a performance at the Englert theater in Iowa City.

Pen V. Sword: And Evening on the Fringe
A double-feature of unforgettable theatre with Rage Theatrics & Dreamwell Theatre

Rage is doing: Your Swash is Unbuckled" Three pirate Plays by Jeff Goode
Dreamwell is doing Typing Lear by Greg Aldrich

I Have seen on of the three plays at the new play festival put on be City Circle last February.
Two chicks with swords dueling it out and some chick on chick action. I know the ladies and it is fun to watch. Looking forward to seeing what the rest is going to be like.

Next week I will be heading down to Fayettville Arkansas (Northwest Arkansas) to help Side Notes and her fiance move back to Iowa. I have helped them both move down there, though not at the same time. They have a lot of stuff. Hope we can get it all in one truck. Pray for our backs. The best thing about the trip is that we might be able to have a final meal at the Brazilian Steak House down there. If you don't know what that is, Google it and find out. It is a dining experience you won't soon forget.

Well, that's if for now. I have rambled enough for today. Think I will have cake for breakfast.
Hey!!! It's my birthday! I can have what I want.

Deathly Hallows

Well, I went to the bookstore Friday. Saw some friends. Recognized a few Potter characters walking around, got an autographed picture of Gilderoy Lockhart. My bracelet number was 282. The count down started and then the selling of the books and recordings started at midnight.

I thought it would take much longer than it did, but we where out of there and driving home by 12:30. I read about 7 chapters until I noticed it was 3:30 and decided I better get a little sleep.

I started reading again around 9:30 A.M.. Took a couple of hours during the evening to do some shingling and then finished the book about an hour ago. Then and only then did I cut the number bracelet from my wrist. Done.

I am now listening to the recording of the book. There is just something about hearing the story after you have read it. You catch things you may miss while reading.

This was an incredible work that J.K. Rowling has finished the Harry Potter story. I don't want to say anything yet about what happens in the book, because I have some friends who haven't read it yet, and I refuse to spoil it for them.

She really pushes you in this book. Suffice it to say, the world that she has created is at war and things are very intense. I need to digest it a while after listening to it and then read it again.

3 Days 1 hour and some odd minutes!!!!!!

I'm sure there are people out there that will think I am a little crazy, but I am laying here listening to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I am on disc 3 of the total recording of 17 discs. Trying to get it all listened to be Friday. Don't think I will make it. I really want to have all the facts in my head for this last book.

Read and interview with Jim Dale, the gentlemen of whom I am listening to right now. As I have said before, he is very good. He only does the U.S. recording though. The British recording is done by the actor who played Dietrich in V for Vendetta. Can't remember his name at the moment, but he would do a really good job as well.

It took Jim two weeks to record Deathly Hallows. The only information he is willing to give about the book is that it has a surprise ending. Well, DUH!!

I am so looking forward to getting my hands on this book I can almost not stand it. Still not sure as if I will go as anyone. I had two great suggestions from theater friends. Luna or Mrs. Figg.
Maybe I'll just go around and please the pants off the kids when I know who they are pretending to be.

Well, need to focus on my cd. I'll report more on Harry Potter later.

Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows

As I lay in bed writing this, I am listening to my recording of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as read by Jim Dale. He does a wonderful job reading these books. He is very talented and has wonderful voices for all of the characters. He has won a Grammy Award in 2000 for one of the recordings and he has been nominated twice. He also holds a world record for number of voices done in a book recording. I think it's Phoenix.

Anyway, I am really looking forward to seeing the movie. The trailers have been very good. They are having characters in the movie that I thought they might not use. They dropped all the house elves for Goblet of Fire, so I wasn't sure if they would have the thestrals. I will be sorely disappointed if Creature and Dobby the house elves are not in this movie. They play some vital rolls in the story.

The thing I am truly excited about it the book coming out on the 21st. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I plan on being at Barnes & Noble the evening of the 20th, waiting for the toll of midnight and the opening of the boxes of Harry Potter books. I have been to this type of evening for the two previous releases. It is so much fun seeing the children and adults dressed as there favorite characters. I have even surprised a your girl when I knew which character she was. She turned slightly pink, as Rowling would put it.

I reserved a copy a couple of months ago, and also included a request for the audio book on CD. I plan on reading the book all the was through, then listen to the audio book.

I know I am really going to miss Dumbledore. I was totally crushed dyed. Or is he dead? I have read some theories, but haven't seen anything that matches what I think. I think that Dumbledore is a Phoenix. At the end of his funeral service, his body is engulfed in flames, and when the flames subsided, there was a marble monument. I think he burned to ashes and will rise again. What do you think?

As I write this post, I just get more and more excited about the book. A little sad too, because this will be the last. Oh, Rowling has said she would never say never, but I'm not sure she will go back to that world anytime soon.

Maybe I will see some of you at the bookstore at Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville. I would like to go dressed up but don't know who I should go as. Any suggestions???

4th of July on the History Channel

So I did some early fourth of July celebrating in Marengo on the third. Fireworks, music by Mid Life Crisis, and way too many beers. Definitely no parade for me this morning.

Started to flip channels on the TV and had the thought of turning to the History Channel. They are running a series called The Revolution. It is giving the history of the American revolution. I remember some of this stuff, but this is much more detailed and a heck of a lot more fun than it was in school.

Do people these days realize that we declared our independence on July 4th, 1776 but we didn't have a constitution or a true form of government for another 10 years. 10 years!

Freedom comes at a cost. These people went through great victories and terrible terrible losses. Sacrifice. Our country is 231 years old because of these people and future people like them. I hope there are a lot of people out there watching this show and being thankful for what we have.

Happy Birthday USA!!!!!

WHAT!! NO INTERNET?!

I do have a bunch of things I want to post on, but that has been impossible for the last few days since our server had a meltdown of sorts, and we have just gotten our connection back tonight. I have been off the web and e-mail since Thursday of last week.

I have never really felt like I was addicted to the web and to the e-mails, but when it was no longer available to me, I thought I was going to go nuts.

Now I'm back and I will have a few things to talk about in the coming days. Like:
My step nephews new wife's father and I went to high school together.
More about Isiah Washington.
Maybe one more comment about Paris Hilton. (that was it)
State 29 has really got it right on this one.

Just a few things to wet your appetite.
Now, I must go and visit my favorite reads and see what I have missed the last five days.
Later!
Oh, and feel free to comment. I would like to know if there really are people, besides Kurt, reading this. ;-)