I've started Pottermore-ing

Is that a word?  Now it is.

But before I can talk rationally and coherently discuss this new development, if you will please excuse the following:

OH MY ROWLING!  ZOMG!  YESSSSSSSSSSSSS
*happy dance*


It's official, guys.  I mean, I have a Gryffindor patch on my backpack, and my penpal made me a Gryffindor bracelet, but now J.K. ROWLING has confirmed it!

*ahem*

I have regained my composure and would like to inform the world that I have joined Pottermore.  After not getting into the Beta testing in October and clicking back every week since then to see if it was finally open to the public yet.

And finally my labors were rewarded.

Friends, my name is NifflerCauldron2980 (add me as a friend!) and I am a Gryffindor!  My wand is cedar and unicorn hair, 11 inches, unbending.  And so far I have contributed a great 14 points to my House (but I'm not sure how I did that).

Basically, Pottermore is pretty cool.  My favorite part is reading J.K. Rowling's little notes and backstories about the characters and plotlines and how it all came together.  The extra stuff, where it lets you duel people and brew potions and things, is fun as well.

But, WOW brewing potions is hard.  And stressful.  All these thoughts were going through my head:

• Which of these little bags of ingredients is snake fangs?  TELL ME NOW.
• Where the freak is my wand??!
• Who knew heating cauldrons to the right temperature was so hard? 
• I'm really good at grinding bezoars.
• What am I supposed to do for the three minutes that my potion brews?  Just stare at the screen and hope that I didn't add too many porcupine quills?

I have tried, and failed, to brew the Antidote to Common Poisons at least six times.  All of these failures are because I let my cauldron overheat while it is cooking for five seconds.

Potions are hard.  How was Lily so good at it??

Also, there's one, easily remedied issue that makes me sad:

However, all I see is:

Alas.  I shall stay with my friend-less-ness and continue to fail at brewing potions.  Wish me luck!

The urban dwelling resembling the village of York in England (and SCIENCE!)

My title is a cryptogram.  Can you solve it?

(Hint: It means I went to New York City.)

Didja figure it out?  It means "New York City!"  You must be so smart.

It was pretty darn epic.  I mean, it was a school trip, to go to Columbia University for a publications conference. It was a school trip, and they basically gave us free reign to wander anywhere we wanted in Manhattan.  Crazy fun things went down.

However, as cool as it was to watch my English teachers sing karaoke to Lady Gaga, I doubt it interests you.  And I would like to keep you interested.  I think the most interesting thing is my Science Olympiad competition on Saturday.  I mean, New York is way too boring.  But science?  Now THAT'S exciting.


 I mean, you can even write "science" in a science-y way:

Sorry it's blurry; it's my friend's cell phone camera.  I wrote it.  I'll tell you what each letter is, because I'm REALLY proud of this thing.  Took me ages.
S - DNA strand
C - magnet
I - test tube
E - It says mc^2 because E=mc^2
N - a bunch of rulers
C - It says 3.0x10^8 because that's the speed of light, represented by "C"
E - Not sure what the name of this molecule is, my AP Chem friend made it

O - gear
L - fingers (you know, physiology!)
Y - inverted lungs.  Yes, inverted lungs.  Quit laughing, it was hard to draw lungs upside down.
M - triangles with angles
P - phosphorus
I - rad -1.  i
A - deathly hallows symbol.  This was an object of controversy, but my argument was that it related.  Harry Potter is geeky, science is geeky.  It works.
D - atom. In a D shape (I was running out of ideas by the end)

You'll notice that we had a chalkboard in our "home base" classroom, where we relaxed between rounds.  So what did we do? Play games!

First, chalkboard chess.  This was easy, we just made up symbols for each piece (pawn was circle, bishop was triangle, etc).  I was shaded, my friend's pieces were open.  And we erased each piece and redrew it to move.  Simple.  I won after an hour, when I cornered her king and she had no more moves.

Second, chalkboard Monopoly.  This was far more complicated.  First, we redrew the board and simplified the rent amounts and property prices.  We used the random integer function on the graphing calculator as dice, and kept track of money on the side.  It was really complicated.  For chance cards, we had a friend make up things to say.  That was how I ended up losing $2000 in one turn.  The chance cards were all mean.

Third, Pictionary.  This was exciting because I instituted the rule of "abstract Pictionary," stolen from the idea of Metaphysical I Spy in Paper Towns.  Basically, it had to be abstract.  No physical objects allowed.  That's how we ended up trying to draw things like "Neo-Confucianism," "schizophrenia," and a "Mongolian Death Worm."  Yes, we are awesomely nerdy like that.  Let's see YOU draw the "Harvard Sailing Team."

New favorite Greek letter

It used to be pi, because it was cool and you could memorize it and all, but pi ain't got nothin' on phi.

No, not because it is the golden ratio (1.61803399...) or anything.  For something far more exciting than that (at least to me.)

Consider the following:
See that thingy over to the side there?  That's phi.  It's nice and Greek-looking, correct?  Well, it's better than what your first glance may let on...

In physics, we used phi to represent angle measure (for when we have multiple angles and theta is already taken).  So, please note the fantastic things that can be done with phi:

Phi, plus the crappy triangle (I'm not very good with straight lines).

What does this equal?  No, not phi-delta.  It equals....drumroll...

I hope my teacher doesn't mind that I replaced all the phis on my quiz with Deathly Hallow symbols...

Movie Theaters and Airplanes: Who Gets the Armrest?

The above was the title of my thesis for Danny B**.  My subsequent nickname was the epic "The Dweller of Places Long Forgotten (TDOLF)."  I think I win because my nickname is longer than anyone else's.  Also, I did not get into Pottermore, so I will now live life as a sad and lonely hermit until October.

**By the way, the point I would argue for my thesis is that there are several options for movie theater/airplane etiquette.  You could either:
a) Let your seat-neighbor have the armrest
b) Hog the armrest
c) Weirdly share the armrest (ex. One person's elbow on the front half, one person's elbow on the back half)
d) Stack your arms awkwardly
e) No one gets the armrest
f) Write a petition to movie theaters to fix the problem.  Also, sit in first class
g) Move on and ignore the little annoyances in life

I spend my days at a summer camp wrangling small children, which doesn't make for interesting blog content.  I could talk about how we had to ban forks yesterday because the girls were combing their hair with them.  I could talk about how I got attacked by 8-year-old identical twins tickling me, which is a disconcerting experience because when I hold one back, another one that looks exactly the same comes at me.   And this is what every single day is like for me.  I think I deserve a higher pay rate.  I didn't know until now that counselors aren't even paid minimum wage.  Oh well.

To take breaks in between crazy AP World History work, I've been online.  So here's some pictures I found, copied and pasted here just for you!  Credit: iwastesomuchtime.com

It's all over

Forgive me if this post is a bit damp, but I'm sobbing uncontrollably.  Like Hagrid when he found out that Buckbeak would be executed...

I just can't believe it's all over.  We've all grown up with Harry Potter, and the grand finale is tonight.  The end of it all.  Yep, I'll be the Leaky Cauldron, bawling during the credits.  And blowing my nose on my handkerchief embroidered with the Hogwarts logo (I wish).

I do, however, have plenty of HP accessories, including, but not limited to:

• Dark Mark lollipop
• Stickers
• Wand
• Authentic D.A. t-shirt
• Cloak + hat
• HP themed fingernails

I'M GOING TO CRY!

Credit: Dan Bergstein

P.S. No, of course I don't have HP themed underwear, that would be preposterous. 

Ninjapiratezombierobot

 Today, my friends, we bring a very controversial topic to the table.  Before we begin the pleasant conversation/discussion/debate/war/total annihilation of anyone who disagrees with you (that was the progression of most in-class debates I have in school), let's lay some ground rules.

1. No throwing spoons at people.
2. Keep your voice level between that of a platypus at lunchtime and typewriter at 49.8 wpm.
3. No sic-ing dinosaurs on anyone.
4. Anyone who mentions pea soup will be thrown out.

If you break any rules, I will sic my velociraptor on you.  And no, I am not breaking Rule #3, because I made the rules, so I'm allowed to break them.  If you have a problem with that, let me know the time, place, and weapon and we'll discuss the matter reasonably.

So...the topic of today's debate is:

Yep.  Ninjapiratezombierobot.
It sums up all the awesome things about life.  Well, except wizards and Darren Criss and dinosaurs.  And whipped cream and loam.  But close enough, okay? 
It also sums up the controversies of life.  Obviously, are you Team Ninja or Team Pirate?

Team Ninja has katanas, night vision, death gazes of death, ninja stars (see diagram, left hand), and awesomeness.
Team Pirate has Jack Sparrow, Captain Hook (see diagram, right hand), swords, cannons, eyepatches, and awesomeness.

And then, of course, there's robots and zombies.  The Roboters believe that the world will end when the robots gain sentience and will destroy us all.  The Zombiers believe that the world will end when the zombies come back to life and destroy us all.

Of course, there are other opinions.  There are the Mayaners, whose Bible is the movie 2012.  Also, the Obesitiers, who believe childhood obesity will eat us all from the inside out.  And the Staplers, who plan to destroy the world with a staple gun.  There are so many opinions on how the world will end.

Is it strange that there is no one out there predicting how the world will NOT end???

Well, I Am Speechless

It's a good thing I'm not actually talking to you in person. Because I wouldn't be able to form a intelligible sentence. I think I've been hit with Mad-Eye Moody's Tongue-Tying Curse (I'm not Snape! It wasn't me who killed you, Dumbledore!)

I'm dumbfounded.

Harry Potter 7 (Part 1, I'm not that awesome that I get to see Part 2) was incredible. Phenomenal. I liked 1-3, strongly disliked 4 and 5, thought 6 was okay, but this. Was. Amazing.
I didn't think the director had it in him. I guess I was proved wrong.

*SPOILERS*
-Twenty seconds in, I was ready to cry when Hermione mind-erases her parents. You know, when she disappears from all the pictures and stuff. Soo sad!
-I didn't really feel anything when Mad-Eye died. They didn't do very well with that. I was like, "Oh. Okay, whatever." It wasn't that important.
-Kreacher and Dobby looked a lot more animated-y in this movie. I didn't like it as much, but Dobby was hilarious! "Dobby was not trying to kill Miss Bellatrix, Dobby was only wanting to maim or seriously injure." I may have butchered it a bit, but you get the idea. I was so sad when SPOILER *whispers* Dobby dies! It was the worst part of the book, and the movie. (Worst as in saddest, not bad).
-What's with Harry taking off his shirt? Taking a leaf out of Twlight's book? (yuck). Harry is not particulary hot and he looks so old and weird without a shirt and/or glasses.
-The scene with Harry and Hermione in the Horcrux was, well, um, awkward *awkward turtle*
-So was the scene with Harry and Hermione dancing. WTH?
-The animation for the tail of the three brothers was really cool
-I thought it was interesting that they skipped the swear. In the beginning, when Hermione is showing off her Extended bag, she shakes it, peers inside, and says, "Oh, damn, that'll be be the books," In the movie, she just says, "Ah, that'll  be the books," Not necessarily a complaint, just an interesting thing to point out.
-Great suspense. I was so into it, I forgot it was two parts and after Voldy takes the wand, it cuts straight to credits and I'm just sitting there like, what happened to the movie?
-The scene in the Ministry where Ron is other guy and forgets who he is: "But...my wife is being interrogated!" *pause* "Ron, you don't have a wife,"
-Also, when Ron kisses his 'wife' and the real one walks in? Great!
-Overall score: 6.72983 Horcruxes out of 7!

Leave your opinions of the movie in the comments!

Harry Potter Mania

I am a Harry Potter maniac. It's important to know. To describe thoroughly the extent of my obsession, I should let you know that my friends and I are going to the midnight showing of HP 7 (Part 1) dressed as wizards. And personally, I hope to see you there.

What's this you say? You don't really want to see the movie? Well, you will, after you've watched this trailer, somehow I think you'll be a bit more enthusiastic. In other words, it's EPIC. It's the normal trailer, set to lyrics. I give it . . . 9.78 Chocolate Frogs out of 10!