Monday 31 May 2010

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, Teach Us Something Please!


Like anyone else, I've been obsessed with Harry Potter ever since I read the Philosopher's Stone when I was eight years old. Back then, in the Mists Of Time, the Harry Potter books were seen as an endurance test - Read the Harry Potters, and you had ultimate bragging rights. But we were eight then. Plus, there was only six people in my class at school, so I didn't have much of a challenge. But, as Dumbledore met McGonagall in Privet Drive, and as Dudley Dursley learned a new word (Shan't!), I fell in love.

Oh no. This is so cliche! I hate being cliche or mushy, as you might know. Especially when it's on paper, or HTML in this case, and you can't see me saying it. But I'm going to try to avoid it. I have to get my message across!

Anyway, I soon won my bragging rights within a month or so, even though Half-Blood Prince wasn't published yet. And I loved the books, just like them everyone else. But then Deathly Hallows came, and I stood in line and bought it at midnight in my local Dubray's, and then, seven hours later, it was over.

The ending is fantastic. I don't care what anyone says, if Voldemort and his Death Eaters had won the Battle of Hogwarts, everyone would send Rowling all the Howlers they could find. Did I mention I read Deathly Hallows in seven hours? I like to brag about that to people.

Since then, I've been re-reading a couple of times a year, but it was only when I was reading them again last week, when everything hit me. The pure love drenched into the books, for Harry, Ron and Hermione, for the drama, the danger, the romance, the wit, the mystery Hogwarts and Company brings to your life. I know I'm reading way too much into this, but it's not like I'm going to start writing for the Leaky Cauldron soon. I'm not that obsessive, but I have to give credit to those guys, they are fantastic! Hooray!

And do you remember the National Movie Awards last week? National as in Britain, I mean. I was watching it too, and remember how the Harry Potter movies won the Special Recognition award, because they had done so much for promoting the British film industry and giving work to almost all Britain and Ireland's great actors, as well as being great films? (And no, I don't care what anyone says - I LIKE THE HARRY POTTER FILMS!) They made a fifteen minute video featuring clips from the films and people saying how brilliant they were, and they were quite right. So right, I cried watching it.

Oh no! I can't believe I typed that! But it's true. I did cry. And then I read a bit of Order of the Phoenix.

So, what am I trying to say? ...Now that I think about it, I'm not sure. This was just such a revelation for me, and nobody else I know reads the Harry Potters, which is amazing I know, but it's true. One thing I do know is that there'll probably be some HP themed posts up here soon...

High-Fives,

EleanorLight

P.S. Isn't that picture up there so CUTE!

Friday 28 May 2010

We Are The Winners Of Eurovision, WE ARE! WE ARE!

The Eurovision Song Contest Final is on tomorrow.

Ireland got in.

You may have noticed I'm not saying much. Usually you can't shut me up. I guess I'm still in shock.

This is how Niamh Kavanagh got in to the final for us.



I know because of the block voting, you'll probably do this anyway, but United Kingdom, would you mind voting for us please? We'll vote for you. :) And, anyone else from Europe, it would be very nice if you would vote for us too. Please?

Thursday 27 May 2010

Music at Musings - Lenka

Remember my post about the Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging soundtrack? And the link I put up for The Show by Lenka? Well, encouraged by that song, I listened to Lenka's self-titled debut album, and this is about that, I suppose.


The breathy voice of Lenka Krilpac is angelic with attitude, I can't sum it up any other way. The Show is a toe-tapping tune which actually summed up my life the week of A Vampire Story (remember that? I was quite confused then), and then there's Trouble Is A Friend, Don't Bring Me Down, Skipalong, Anything I'm Not, Knock Knock, We Will Not Grow Up... at this rate I'm going to name every song on the album now. They're all so good! Gah!






P.S. My Geography teacher has brought our class into the computer room at school for our last Geography class of the year! I never thought I would ever blog at school, but it has happened. I can't actually see my blog though - it's classified as a personal website. Which it is, I suppose.

Wednesday 26 May 2010

Quote Of The Week #9

'It's going to be all right, sir,' Harry said over and over again, more worried by Dumbledore's silence than he had been by his weakened voice. 'We're nearly there... I can Apparate us both back... don't worry...'
'I am not worried, Harry,' said Dumbledore, his voice a little stronger despite the freezing water. 'I am with you.'


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

Sunday 23 May 2010

District Seventeen

My parents didn't want to.
They said 'He'll lose his
Privacy, but he'll get
Healthcare benefits,
An education, citizenship!'
So they agreed when
I was born to insert
The chip into my
Brain.
Now I am monitored
Whatever I do
Whatever I think.
But I hate it.
That's why I
Now think in
Bursts so the
Chip will find it
Harder to trace
My thoughts.
We are growing,
The Renegades of
District Seventeen.
But I only
Have thirty
Lines to expose
The cruel,
Barbaric regime
Of District
Seventeen
...Damn!

Friday 21 May 2010

Do You See It?


My followers are BACK!!! Welcome back everybody!


I'm just so happy!

YIPPEE!!!

Sunday 16 May 2010

Sigh.


Wow. That sigh is depressing. Like me. Until... I won a blog award! I'm so happy! It's from XxLadyBugxX who you should check out. Yippee! Anyway, you have to nominate around six other blogs, so the Blogongs go to...
Amii-Louise from Hello Fascination
Indigo from Indigo
Leanne from Thunder + Threads
Snaily from Hello, I've Missed You Quite Terribly
Cherry Diva from Cherry Diva Hideout
High-Fives,
EleanorLight

Saturday 15 May 2010

Music at Musings: Florence + The Machine - Dog Days Are Over



All of you old followers know of my insane love for Florence + The Machine, and some months ago I saw the video for Dog Days Are Over, Number One.





I love this video. It's so... RAW. What I mean by that is, Florence went out into the woods with her dad, a video camera and a tuxedo, and shot it. Isn't it amazing? Plus, I find the clowns fascinating.

Then a couple of weeks ago, I heard about Dog Days Are Over, Number Two. 2010. But I tried to put off watching it for as long as possible, afraid that it wouldn't live up to my expectations. I know that's silly, but still. I avoided it for weeks, but last night I was watching MTV ROCKS and it just came on... And I stopped breathing. I couldn't draw my eyes away from the screen. My chin was resting on the top of my laptop, and it really hurt but I didn't move it.



And I can't decide which is better. It's really annoying. Both are equally spellbinding in their own way, and I want to put one of them up on the Soundtrack... So I'll let you decide. There's a poll up in the right hand corner where you can vote for your favourite video. You have seven days...

High-Fives,

EleanorLight

Monday 10 May 2010

Music at Musings: Oppenheimer - Breakfast In NYC


I have discovered the Best Song In The World. OK, so I know everyone's Best Song In The World is different, but by all standards, this is still a great song! I'm very sorry, Phil Lynott. I know Whiskey In The Jar was my Best Song In The World for years now, but at least you have the honour of being in the Skulduggery Pleasant books!

I'll probably post another Music at Musings about the compilation I got this song from, but I just wanted to show you this first! Enjoy!

(I just remembered this is my third post of the day! Wow.)


Quote Of The Week #8

Mystery dunked her thumb into her drink again and licked it off. 'What's your favourite verb?'

...'Dying, I guess,' Dan answered, finishing his drink and setting the empty glass down on the floor. 'The verb to die.' He knew it must have sounded like he was trying to impress her. After all, she was writing a book about premature death and cremation. But it was the truth. Almost all of his poems were about dying. Dying of love, dying of anger, dying of boredom, of anxiety; falling asleep and never waking up.

Cecily von Ziegesar - Because I'm Worth It

Tuesday 4 May 2010

The Soundtrack To My Life

I have 21 followers now! EEEE!! Of course, I'm aware that you mightn't be able to see that, and I'm really sorry!

Anyway, so the point of this post is that I saw something called The Soundtrack To My Life on My Life Between The Lockers, where you put your iPod on shuffle, without skipping any songs, and write the songs down in the order that they play. Here's my soundtrack!

Opening Credits: Thomas Fersen - Au Cafe de la Paix
I love this song! It's about a man who is waiting at a cafe in Paris for his girlfriend, but she doesn't show up and it is implied that she is just the fantasy of a delusional former lover... Perfect!



Waking Up: Mumford & Sons - Thistle & Weeds
I don't think this is going to be a good day for our heroine.



First Day Of School: Mute Math - Spotlight
I love this song! Just the amount of pep to justify walking into school.



Falling In Love: The Veronicas - Popular
Right... Unless this was about falling in love with yourself, I wouldn't call this a love song...



Fighting: Mumford & Sons - The Cave
Well, it's dramatic. Yeah, I think this is a fight song. Maybe not a Rocky fight, but a fight nonetheless.


Breaking Up: Kaiser Chiefs - Never Miss A Beat
This is excellent! Especially for a really dramatic, angry break-up!


Driving: Thom Yorke - Hearing Damage
I would have chosen something happier, but this is good.


Flashback: Hate On Me - Glee Cast
This is not a happy flashback...



Getting Back Together: Ignorance - Paramore
Yeah... it's a good 'Yeah, you were stupid, but I still love you and you love me, so let's get back together!' song.



Prom Night: Band Of Skulls - Friends
This is one of my favourite songs! Great for jumping around and having fun with your friends!



Wedding: Paramore - Brick By Boring Brick
This won't be a happy wedding. Dear, dear...



Birth of a Child: The Automatic - Monster
Um... No comment. (!)



Final Battle: Paolo Nutini - Tricks Of The Trade
Hmm... this might work if all the good guys are killed in a noble massacre.....



Death Scene: Mumford & Sons - Dust Bowl Dance
Oh, this is perfect. Gorgeous...



Funeral: Alexander Rybak - If You Were Gone
Oh, this makes me sad. I'm still waiting for the boy who will sing this to me...



End Credits: The Script - Breakeven
Perfect! Just the right amount of pep for the (few) happy songs on this soundtrack, and the right amount of sadness for the (many) sad songs.



All in all, this isn't really the perfect soundtrack I would have chosen for my life, but it's only an experiment anyway!...Isn't it? And no, my iPod isn't that depressing.

High-Fives,

EleanorLight

Monday 3 May 2010

Tag! You're It!

I've been tagged by Indigo and Amii-Louise! For Indigo, I have to say seven things about myself, and tag seven people, and for Amii-Louise, I have to say one hundred things I love and tag three people! ...OK, here goes!

About Me:

  • When I was ten, my brother married our neighbour. I was the priest.
  • A year later, I was the divorce lawyer for my brother's wife.
  • When I read The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne when I was ten, I couldn't work out if Bruno and Shumuel had died or not until my older and wiser cousin told me.
  • My lifelong ambition is to climb a tree, like in The Secret Garden or Tom Sawyer.
  • I have attended two special schools.
  • I MET DEREK LANDY!!!!
  • AND DARREN SHAN!!!!

And now, things I love:

  1. Derek Landy.

  2. Darren Shan.

  3. The Book Centre.

  4. My iPod.

  5. My Bershka headphones.

  6. Dairy Milk chocolate.

  7. Tea, with milk and sugar.

  8. Harry Potter.

  9. Stationary.

  10. Blogging.

  11. Reading other people's blogs.

  12. Being tagged. (!)

  13. Paramore.

  14. Severus Snape.

  15. Gossip Girl.

  16. Killinaskully.

  17. Books.

  18. Audrey Hepburn.

  19. Acting.

  20. Hammocks.

  21. Sunny days.

  22. Gel pens.

  23. Jeans.

  24. Converse.

  25. Facebook.

  26. Paolo Nutini.

  27. Being a kid.

  28. Funny shaped clouds.

  29. Blackadder The Third.

  30. Father Ted.

  31. Originality.

  32. Musings of an Undiscovered Genius. (!)

  33. Blogger.

  34. Lindt Easter Bunnies.

  35. Hockey.

  36. Magic...

  37. Broomsticks.

  38. Ireland.

  39. London.

  40. Paris.

  41. New York.

  42. Brown Thomas.

  43. HMV.

  44. My laptop.

  45. Hugs!

  46. Teen Vogue.

  47. Kiss Magazine.

  48. Paperchase

  49. JASPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Inside joke...)

  50. Miss Vintage Vixen.

  51. Saturdays.

  52. Twitter.

  53. Lady Gaga.

  54. Florence & The Machine.

  55. iTunes.

  56. Guitar Hero: World Tour.

  57. Prom dresses.

  58. Dying my hair.

  59. Being in love. (!)

  60. Ice-skating.

  61. The Simpsons.

  62. Singing.

  63. Singing tunelessly.

  64. Coca-Cola.

  65. The Internet.

  66. GossipGirl.net.

  67. All Time Low.

  68. Zumo's.

  69. Kilkenny.

  70. Youtube.

  71. Wikipedia.

  72. Blowing bubbles.

  73. Pink Lady apples.

  74. Haribo's.

  75. Red.

  76. Friends.

  77. Music.

  78. Black.

  79. Blue.

  80. Potter Puppet Pals.

  81. Movies.

  82. Milk.

  83. America.

  84. Love.

  85. Life.

  86. My phone.

  87. Flowers.

  88. Saoirse Ronan.

  89. Alice Cullen.

  90. Guitars.

  91. Popcorn.

  92. Funfairs.

  93. Candyfloss.

  94. The sea.

  95. Swimming.

  96. Sand between your toes!

  97. My hair.

  98. Glass.

  99. Hats.

  100. Me!

Phew! And now I hereby tag:

Aoife from Ace-Of-Aoife

LadyBug from fascination of all things random

SGuitar from Music and Life

Effy from Razzler Dazzler

Cherry Diva from Cherry Diva Hideout

Roxie Sweetheart from Roxie Sweetheart Girls Love

Annalee McGarry from Annalee McGarry

KittyPinkStars from KiTTYPiNKSTaRS

Ariella from My Life Between The Lockers

Natasha-Rose from Je Ne Sais Quoi

High-Fives,

EleanorLight