Bill Weasley

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

20Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

An important and crucial character, Dumbledore was to us as he was to Harry, a role model, with whom we learned more about character, personal growth and the complexities of human nature than we would’ve learned from him about Transfiguration (had we known him as a Professor and not Headmaster).While Dumbledore had his reasons, our journey with him thru the final book held the most important lessons he could have and I feel should have bestowed upon us. While difficult, by being ashamed we lost out on his wisdom on the loss and guilt of his sister and brother, the complexities of choosing the right path as when Voldemort chose the wrong path, and of course his relationship with Gellert Grindewald. Thru Dumbledore, we see and are shown how our idols, and more importantly our parents, are human and as such, perfectly, imperfect

On the other side, we also learn about how one can be powerful, important but also still childlike as we saw with his obsession with sweets and socks (regardless of what he might have really seen in the Mirror of Erised).This is important because as we age we lose some of our sense of wonder, and are told we must always be mature and un-childlike.

Throughout the series Dumbledore also bestowed wisdom with many fabulous quotes; here are some of the ones that have always stuck out with me

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live”

“You will find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it”

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends"

"We must all face the choice between what is right, and what is easy"

"Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living and above all, those who live without love"

One I believe is a nod from JK about Harry Potter and the world she created for us

"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"

Here, Harry Potter is comforted by Dumbledore about his journey during the seventh book, his life so far, his relationships with others, answers to some of his most crucial questions and who he wants to be if he chooses to live.  

So thank you JK Rowling for giving us a man from whom we learned so much, and were able to learn from as we grew up, and grew, with him.

Four Brothers

The first movie I labelled as a “favorite” was Four Brothers with Mark Wahlberg and a very young and missed Sofia Vergara. It was extremely violent, focused on vigilante antics by underdogs, and portrayed a different part of family love. I loved it for all of these reasons, the brothers were hectic and loud but for the most part stood by each other—as with the friend saying of how you can pick up right where you left off, even after a decade. They called themselves degenerates, but really only in current US society. In past generations their take charge and gruffness would made them things; and you have to appreciate the brotherly love they gave to each other, openly, in 2005. Finally, there is the note of four siblings that when close together in age usually have a particular set of strong bonds with each other, four brothers more than four siblings or four sisters.

This movie isn’t the favorite it used to be, but for all the reasons I listed I still love it, and can still watch it from the beginning, right after just finishing it. 

Darryl Philbin

Darryl’s Best Moment: Season Four, Episode Four: Money

When Kelly tells him “you’re going to have to make a choice. It’s either your daughter or me”

And without looking back at her, taking a moment, or even consider anything, just says “my daughter”.

Darryl’s Worst Moment: Season Nine, Episode Twenty-Two: A.A.R.M.

When he sneaks out of Dunder Mifflin, and doesn’t say goodbye to anyone.

Darryl’s Best line: Season Seven, Episode Thirteen: Ultimatum

“I’m telling you, don’t do it. I got nothing against strip clubs; but I do have something against them at noon, on a Monday. The day shift, at a strip club? You can’t unsee that”.

Darry’s Most Memorable Moment: Season Eight, Episode Three: Lotto

When he decided “My future isn’t going to be determined by seven little white lotto balls, it’s gonna be determined by two big black balls”.

The Presitge

I was originally going to highlight Unbreakable (2000) today, but given the ending of the trilogy is getting released on Friday, I postponed. The Prestige (2006) will always be a film marked as one of my favorites as it’s a suspense film I can handle and I love when there is a bit of thinking and question as opposed to pure terror (see Cape Fear—the most frightening moments of the film being when literally NOTHING happens but it’s 5 straight, pure minutes of agony).

I like this film because it taps into a lot, struggling for success, secrets, devotion, mystery and it’s related suspense. While we mostly follow Angier and root for him to succeed for his redemption against Borden, we also delve a bit more into Borden and want to root for him sometimes as well. It shows and tests the very complex journey of our aspirations and what may happen when things get out of hand. The fake and true deaths of Angier and Borden show both the worst that comes in us destroying ourselves and how when we lose track of ourselves we can lead others to destroy us.

PS—plus the Borden switch—damn

St. Catherine’s Monastery

While not always the most exciting, important or useful; there is something to be said about being “first”. Believed to have been opened around 560 CE, St. Catherine’s Monastery in South Sinai, Egypt is believed to be the oldest, continually operated library in the world. 

There is also an older, and probably still not the oldest or first, the Al-Qarawiyyin opened first in approximately 860 CE has had to be closed and access restricted due to structural damage.But it is still beautiful, as is St. Catherine’s, and rich of history to share just by walking around

(1) https://matadornetwork.com/trips/15-super-unique-libraries-around-the-world-pics/

(2) 

(3) https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-oldest-library-al-qarawiyyin/index.html

A Little Princess

I first saw A Little Princess (1995 version) probably with my parents around the time of its release. With no film background, I will say, did a great job at ageing the film as I always am surprised to discover that it’s not as old I thought it was (something that has happened repeatedly). While somewhat a romantic, fairy-tale type story the core parts that stick with me are the beauty within the story, particularly when Sarah and Becky are imagining a great feast and the colors of India in the very beginning of the film.

The images created in this film are stunning and completely breathtaking on their own and an amazing job is done using the colors in the fil to show the contrast between what we want our world to be like and what we don’t, the stories are even more real. Yes, the fairy-tale elements of her father remembering her just before she’s about to be arrested (she’s a child but ok), and dramatics of him ending up next door to where she lives, and how regardless of everything she insists on being a kind princess are all good and honorable it is the story of the neighbor that hits the most. Both the bleakest, most realistic, connecting, accurate and somewhat breaking is the father next door who tries to be kind during a war and is grateful for closure when he loses his son and his surrogate son (and in a way granddaughter). I think this is why I saw it with my parents, and so frequently. While there are many stories that accurately portray war, this is one that focuses on being kind in the homefront and probably portrays what they experienced living separated, but closely connected to war and genocide. 

There was no good photo to symbolize the story of the neighbour, but part of the theme of kindness is quoted below

Another unrelated shout-out that connects to a Little Princess to me, shout out to Shirley Temple who will never be bested even by those who manage to get their pets Instagram famous

Let's be honest, reading books and buying books are two completely different hobbies.

The Lion King

The Lion King is a big deal for me. The Lion King was both the first movie I saw in theatre and the first play I saw on Broadway and Lion King II: Simba’s pride was my first “new movie”. Similar to how the first Harry Potter book is my home of film, the Lion King story and series is my home of film. 

While the story is home for me and has a lot of great moments, there isn’t a particular connection to the story except for enjoyment. The opening scenes are what I remember most, the music and the visuals that the film received accurate praise on. 

The story is also good, you see Simba grow up and the characters of Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa are original and home themselves. Rafiki, a somewhat sarcastic but also caring character, how people will choose not to listen and that it’s okay to not be seriously serious all the time. Timon and Pumbaa show that true friendship encompasses risking your life and how it’s okay to be different from your friends and also a little silly. 

The Lion King is also a movie/story that I’ve been able to look at differently as I’ve aged. While the opening sequence of music, artistical beauty and family resonate the same with me about 25 years later, I was able to have a deeper appreciation for the Broadway show when I saw it as an adult than when I was younger and my relationship and understanding with the characters has changed because while I remember the story, enough time has gone by where I don’t remember all the details and I am in some ways meeting the characters for the first time. 

Similar to The Lion King, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride was also a film that I related to differently as I watched it. While at first Simba was just an annoying dad who didn’t understand, an older me appreciated the true fear he had for his daughter (while also wondering how he would have reacted about his son in the same situations). The biggest change for me occurs with Naku and the relationship with his mother, who learned too late how she should love all her children and how one can become broken when being considered less than by all sides and how much a sibling being there can help, as his sister Vitani was--even though she also teased him. 

Finally, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, I remember watching it. I’m sitting on this plastic crappy desk in the tv room, I had just gotten the movie from a video store (woah), its playing a few feet away from me on this BIG tv that weighed more than I did and I got annoyed because we were leaving to go see a friend but I HAD to keep watching because I didn’t know how it ended!!! In that moment, I realized that I didn’t know how it ended. Prior to that movie every movie I had seen, I remembered seeing before and mostly remembered what happened (something I wish wasn’t the case as rewatching tv shows isn’t the same--but not important here). This was huge for me, so thank you Lion King, Lion Kin on Broadway and Lion King II: Simba’s Pride for being a great series reference points in my life so far

Bartemius Crouch Senior

I love Barty Crouch Senior, I just do. Maybe it’s because when we meet him I just see this bright man who got shafted by his family, the public and was alone; I feel for him. Now, he’s not perfect. We know that he could be cruel, as we see with him and Winky and hear from others in regards to the trails of other Death Eaters not connected to his son. But while he was ambitious and made mistakes as department head, they were misguided mistakes and not with the background of the mistakes or self-promotion ones made by Fudge or Scrimgeour. And while we hear about how he was an absentee father working late at the ministry, we know Barty Crouch Jr. had his mother to over-indulge him similar to how I believe James Potter was overindulged, and we know that Barty Crouch Sr. adored his wife so I feel there were limits or levels to his cruelty, especially as at any moment he could have handled his son differently after his wife passed, but he didn’t.  

How Barty Crouch Dr. became who he was, we’ll never know, but once brought to the light I feel that Barty Crouch Sr. wasn’t as shocked as he would otherwise be, he just wasn’t in denial anymore. Maybe Barty Crouch Jr.’s nature turned his father away from him and not the other way around because regardless of the speculation that Barty Crouch Jr. might have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, we know that’s not true. Barty Crouch Jr. was a proud Death Eater. When it comes to Barty Crouch Sr.’s errors, I put them more in line with Dumbledore’s. While not as understanding of his own faults, Barty Crouch Sr. was not malicious, but strict. Why he could not get the sympathy following the death of his wife and child as Dumbledore had with his sister I don’t understand. Barty Crouch Sr.’s main fault seemed to be in his appearance of being cruel (also alluded to in why Ludo Bagman got more praise than him) because the public first hated that he sentenced his son so ‘unfairly’ by treating him like any other Death Eater, then blaming him when he died in Azkaban, then hating him when they found out he had taken him from Azkaban but had him imprisoned in his home….I think they just wanted to hate him.

Bartemius Crouch Senior was not perfect or innocent, but for the most part, he tried to do what he believed was best for the world even if his methods to get there are more than questionable, and, he honoured his wife more than anything, which counts for something. His story reminds us that life isn’t fair but it is complicated.

Practicality with Poise and Purpose

Libraries are becoming one of the only true public spaces in community, and not all communities have them. As we become more developed and cramped for space, parks are dwindling and most other places to explore and learn also cost money: museums, gallerys, etc. Libraries are also unique as they not only provide education access to books, movies, or night classes sometimes they also are public spaces that hold discussions and talks where those who are not as connected to the community or have a unique or newly peaked interest can explore and connect.

Growing up in a wealthier neighborhood, my local library expanded to introduce scientific talks with epidemiologists, chemists, pharmaceutical companies where these guest lectures would visit and speak, but then give us the ability to ask questions, and have discussion among ourselves. Overtime, similar topics brought similar people together and you got to meet those in your community that you became more attached to that you otherwise wouldn’t have known. Similar to more common library activities such as Mahjong, these events allowed that connectivity in diverse groups, with diverse ages and unique topics. It is important to remember that libraries as public spaces are not just for education or history knowledge, but future growth and exploration, discussion, a diverse community engagement and equality.