Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

[smeddley]

(not that I'm not paranoid about becoming over-Potter-y, thank you very much kailita)

26-ish hours to go (before leaving for the bookstore), and one book left. I think I've got it covered, though I'm thinking about going and watching some TV for awhile... or maybe a little Jewel Quest...

Anyway, even though angsty, emo Harry almost pushed me over the edge, I took solace in the other characters. I'm quite growing to like Lupin. You just want to give the poor, tired guy a hug, don't you? And I can't say I'd be too bothered by a guy that occasionally turned into a dog, so long as he wasn't trying to kill me. At least then I'd have control of the TV remote... ;)

I never felt too bad about Sirius dying, to be honest. He was, actually, a bit of a prat. Almost as angsty and emo as Harry. Always whining, whining, whining. So tired of it.

I have to wonder if there's a bit of a message in the book, though. Now, don't look at me like I've taken too much cold medication, though maybe I have (Hello, purple hippo! Lovely tutu you have on...). But if they had just told Harry in the first place, a lot of horrid things wouldn't have happened. I get so tired of people 'protecting children' - children are tough, they can handle a lot. More than a lot of adults, in fact. Tell them the truth, people. And stop 'baby-proofing' your house. They'll only do stupid, painful things once, and probably won't get themselves killed if you bother to be a decent parent and watch them.

But that... that is another rant.

On the up side, the worst book to date has been finished (from what I've heard of the last one, my expectations are not high). Onwards and... hey, is that a cookie?

Comments

[foxfirefey]

[foxfirefey]

Although I TOTALLY disagree with you on the baby proofing. It's so very necessary. I say this as a veteran of babysitting passles of Mormon children.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

There's taking reasonable precautions, and then there's 'baby proofing', though. Leave sharp objects out and in reach? No, of course not.

Roll padding around the edge of each table? Cover your fireplace heath with foam padding? Removing all the laundry baskets from your house? That might be being a little overzealous. There are things true 'baby proofers' advocate that are ridiculous.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

*snicker*

Oh, Fresh Prince, how you have invaded our culture to the very core!

[elaran.livejournal.com]

LOL I saw the picture, yelped and covered my eyes and scrolled down. And then I saw the comments.

[revoked-soul.livejournal.com]

I'm only partway through Order of the Phoenix. If I had tomorrow free and clear, I could make it...

Instead I have a two-year-old, the need to finish cleaning out my laundry room which I started today and didn't finish, and the responsibility to prepare for the barbecue we have to have on Saturday.

Holy not going to get to read, Batman!

I believe in moderate baby-proofing...basically, things that could cause death or grievous harm if I turned my back for two seconds will be in some way baby-proofed. Drawer of knives? Gonna have a child-proof lock on it.

However, people who put padding on the corner of their coffee-tables make me laugh.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Aw, I'm sorry. :( I probably wouldn't make it at this point without having taken tomorrow off.

Well, yes, but keeping knives away from kids isn't what I'd call 'baby proofing'. It's being reasonable. The padding people - and the ones that put plexiglass over their staircase spindles and whatnot - are the ones I wonder about.

[revoked-soul.livejournal.com]

Well, I brought it all on myself, in one way or another. :)

The kids whose parents do things like that...I always wonder how long it's going to take them to learn how to operate in the real world. Basic safety, I'm all for (and sometimes wish more adults had a concept of it), but over-protecting your children just means they're never going to learn anything.

And that's got to suck.