Literary snobbery.

Nothing irks me quite like literary snobbery. It's for people who aren't pretty/rich/cool enough to feel superior based on their looks/possessions/fashion... so they feel superior based on what they read. Same difference. Just let people like what they like, and shut up, OK?

This from the WaPo...

The vast majority of adults who tell me they love "Harry Potter" never move on to Susanna Clarke's enchanting "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell," with its haunting exploration of history and sexual longing, or Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials," a dazzling fantasy series that explores philosophical themes (including a scathing assault on organized religion) that make Rowling's little world of good vs. evil look, well, childish. And what about the dozens of other brilliant fantasy authors who could take them places that little Harry never dreamed of? Or the wider world of Muggle literary fiction beyond?

First of all, I've read both Jonathan Strange and His Dark Materials AND all 7 Harry Potter novels (I reread the first six) since January. My mom has read all of the above as well, so NYAH.

Secondly, so a lot of people read Harry Potter. That doesn't mean it sucks. More people eat cows than dogs but it doesn't mean it's morally superior to eat dogs, or that dogs are higher quality. (I'm just saying.) Heck, way more people read the WaPo than the Times. And not everybody can devote as much of their time to reading as a paid literary critic, or simply like all the things the critics like, just like not everyone can weigh 105 pounds/own a lexus/be one of the cool kids.

As far as I see it - you could have "the vast majority" of Americans reading Harry Potter - or nothing at all. I don't think anyone is making a choice between Harry and something else. It's not like people are saying "Well, I read Harry Potter so I guess I can't read Jonathan Strange now."

I'm just ranting I guess. There was a similar article in American Libraries a few months ago that similarly pissed me off. Instead of just whining about how not everyone is as good as you are, maybe just get over yourself and enjoy sharing what you like - and don't get in a snit if the entire country doesn't follow your command.

My predictions...

I have finished. To protect the slow readers ;-) I am placing my commentary on my predictions in a comment to this post.

Final thoughts.

Note: Book SIX spoilers here but really, if you haven't read book six by now, you probably don't care.

Well, here I am trying to convince myself to wait just a tad longer before running off to Borders to pick up You-Know-What at midnight. Ah the moment I have been waiting for - since finishing off Book Six two years ago, yelling in frustration as I reached the last page.

Six months or more ago I pre-ordered my copy and picked up my TRUST SNAPE sticker which is now displayed prominently on the Beer Fridge, next to EQUALITY MARYLAND and GREENPEACE.

Here are my final predictions -

1. Snape turns out to be good, or at least redeems himself. Honestly, JKR can NOT make her big, takeaway less of her 7 books be "don't give anyone a second chance, especially if they're ugly." She just isn't that kind of person.

2. Snape will die somehow saving Harry as Harry finishes off Voldemort, or dies enabling Harry to finish off Voldemort.

3. I'm undecided on Harry living or dying. I give him 55% odds of being alive at the end of the last sentence.

4. Remus and Tonks will live happily ever after, to my great disdain. So will Ron and Hermione, to my great joy.

5. At least one Weasley will bite the dust. (Well there's just so many of them! It's statistics!)

6. Harry is a horcrux.

7. We learn more about Regulus.

Well, there you have it. Of course, I was 100% confident that Mr. Weasley was going to die in book 5, and 110% confident that Hagrid was the half-blood prince - so - well at least one of those has got to be right!

somewhere only we know...

It's been a long time since I really posted on this blog, and even longer since I posted on my "serious" blog. Whatever.

I stopped by the Dupont Circle farmer's market this morning. I had meant to go to the H Street Market yesterday, but realized I had left my wallet at work near Farragut Square, and I didn't have time to fetch it before the market closed. Someday I'll make it to that market, I swear. The Dupont market was fine; full of yuppies with designer babies and $400 emo glasses, but I bought the most fantastic (if slightly expensive) tomatoes. I made a great sandwich - toast, mayo, a thick slice of bright red tomato. I could eat a thousand tomato sandwiches. (Name that book/movie!)

This afternoon was an Ikea run; they didn't have the coffee table I want *again.*



Still I got a chest of drawers



and a floor lamp



along with some smaller things. I've always been cranky about having to do my own bagging at Ikea... well... now you have to pay $0.05 per bag. Screw that -- I stuffed the small things in my purse and just threw the rest in the cart and later the trunk.

This afternoon on a PBS nature special, there was a baby horse that couldn't walk, and the leader of another group of horses BIT it, then picked it up in its mouth and shook it and threw it down on the ground until it was dead. Nature red in tooth and claw and hoof, apparently.

LOST!

I think I have a crush on the ENTIRE cast of Lost. Well, nearly. I mean, seriously, apparently only gorgeous people can survive plane crushes.

LOST CHARACTERS I HAVE A CRUSH ON:

• Desmond. He speaks SCOTTISH, and has great hair. Plus he's so "too good to be true."


• Claire. She speaks AUSTRALIAN, and has great hair. She's whiny and an idiot, but super-cute.


• Sawyer. He speaks SOUTHERN, and has great hair. He's such a bad boy with a heart of gold


• Sayid. He speaks WITH WHAT IS PRESUMABLY AN ARABIC ACCENT EVEN THOUGH THE ACTOR IS ACTUALLY INDIAN, and has great hair.
  
• Charlie. He speaks MANCHESTERIAN, and has great hair. Whiny and an idiot (like Claire) but he's got such a cute nose. (He had BETTER NOT DIE TONIGHT.)


• Ben. He doesn't have an accent or great hair. He's so clever. Sure, he's evil, but he had a rough childhood - makes you want to pat his head and give him an ice cream cone while he plots his next move.


• Sun. I love how at first you think she's a huge wuss, but then she turns out to be TERRIFYING and sweet at the same time.


• Rose and Bernard. How can you NOT adore them???


• Mr. Eko. Mr. Eko KICKED BUTT. I really miss him.


• No accent and seriously needs a new hair do, but everybody loves Hugo.


• Bakunin. He speaks RUSSIAN and heck, his name is BAKUNIN which is just awesome.

LOST CHARACTERS I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH ON:

• Kate. Too high strung. Plus she's using Sawyer.


• Jack. Has his head too far up his butt.


• Juliette. I still think she's evil, or a huge tool.


• All the others except Ben, because they are boring.


• Alex, because her nose is always running, and she has too much teen angst.


• Karl, because for some reason he likes Alex.


• Jin. He's kind of an idiot, and Sun has to take care of him way too much.


• Rousseau. She terrifies me, and doesn't have Sun's sweet side.


• Locke, because I cannot figure him out. He is slippery.


• Shannon. I know she had a quasi-rough time when her dad died but I still wanted to slap her constantly.


• Boone. He was loveable but a little creepy.


• Michael and WAAAAAAAAAAAAAALT. I really liked Michael at first but... well.


• Nikki and Paolo, duh.


• Ana Lucia. Drove me nuts. Control freak.

I am probably leaving characters out. So, I guess it wasn't really ALL or even MOST. But still, this show has awesome, fantastic, loveable, AND hot characters.

And tonight's episode may be the best ever....!

The Songs In My Head Get Nerdier.

I give you these Belle & Sebastian lyrics:

The bourgeoisie, historically,
Has played a revolutionary part
To end all feudal, idyllic relationships.
It has resolved personal worth,
And in place of freedom
Is exploitation for profit alone.
There is a spectre of the past
In my bold assertion.
We could learn much from the past.

Bonus nerd points if you can tell me what leftist political tract is being paraphrased here.

Nerdy on so many levels...

... that I have this song stuck in my head:


A la volonté du peuple
Et à la santé du progrès,
Remplis ton cœur d'un vin rebelle
Et à demain, ami fidèle.
Nous voulons faire la lumière
Malgré le masque de la nuit
Pour illuminer notre terre
Et changer la vie.

A la volonté du peuple,
Je fais don de ma volonté.
S'il faut mourir pour elle,
Moi je veux être le premier,
Le premier nom gravé
Au marbre du monument d'espoir.

(Rough translation...)

To the will of the people,
and to the health of progress [it's like a toast]
Fill your heart with rebel wine,
And to tomorrow, faithful friend.
We want to spread the light
Despite the mask of the night
To light up the world
And change life.

To the will of the people
I give my will
If it is necessary to die for it,
I want to be the first
The first name graven
In the marble of the monument of hope.