What jobs have you had?

1. Training Content Development Specialist (current job)
2. Certification/Curriculum Training Specialist
3. Support Technician
4. Computer Lab Technician
5. Hostess
6. Telemarketer
7. Amusement Park Ride Operator

Where would you like to go for a weekend getaway?

1. San Francisco, CA
2. Las Vegas, NV
3. Park City, UT

What movies can you watch over and over?

1. All six Star Wars movies
2. Indiana Jones trilogy
3. Galaxy Quest
4. Clue
5. Big Trouble
6. Lilo & Stitch
7. Young Frankenstein
8. Miss Congeniality
9. Runaway Bride

What are your guilty pleasures?

1. Twinkies
2. Game Cube (any type of game, really)
3. Watching TV
4. Reading

Where have you lived?

1. Provo, UT
2. Ephraim, UT
3. Logan, UT
4. Amalga, UT
5. Orem, UT
6. North Logan, UT
7. Decatur, IL
8. Ogden, UT

What did you think of your significant other when you first met him/her?

1. I’m going to marry him.
2. Darn it! He’s engaged!
3. Wow! I feel really comfortable around him.
4. He’s cute!

Where have you been on vacation?

1. All over California (San Francisco being my favorite)
2. Austin & Dallas, Texas
3. Orlando, Florida
4. St. Louis, Missouri

What are your favorite foods?

1. Sushi
2. Crab Legs
3. Spaghetti
4. Ramen

If you’re in a “jam” with your significant other, what do you do to get out of the dog house?

1. Corey and I try to let each other cool off first, but then we talk about our issues.

Which websites do you visit on a daily basis?

1. My blog
2. Stephenie Meyer’s website
3. Stephenie Meyer’s MySpace blog
4. Twilight Lexicon
5. My friends’ blogs
6. websudoku.com

Where would you rather be right now?

1. Home reading Twilight
2. The beach
3. Asleep in bed
4. Anywhere but work

Name four blog buddies you want to tag as It:

1. Amber
2. Ashley
3. Becky
4. Megan

What books have you read this year? (Just for fun, I’ve added another category.)

1. Next Tuesday (8/7) – Eclipse
   
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
8. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
9. New Moon
   
10. Twilight
    
11. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident (Book Two)
12. Artemis Fowl (Book One)

What/who made you laugh the most?

Ron made me laugh the most. I love Ron; he’s my favorite character. There are so many Ron moments, quotes, etc. that made me laugh. But, my absolute favorite happened in Sorcerer’s Stone just after Harry, Ron, and Hermione jumped into the Devil’s Snare.

“Stop moving!” Hermione ordered them. “I know what this is–it’s Devil’s Snare!”

“Oh, I’m so glad we know what it’s called, that’s a great help,” snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

“Shut up, I’m trying to remember how to kill it!” said Hermione.

“Well, hurry up, I can’t breathe!” Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.

“Devil’s Snare, Devil’s Snare … what did Professor Sprout say?–it likes the dark and the damp–”

“So light a fire!” Harry choked.

“Yes–of course–but there’s no wood!” Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

“HAVE YOU GONE MAD?” Ron bellowed. “ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?”

“Oh, right!” said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two boys felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.

“Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione,” said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.

“Yeah,” said Ron, “and lucky Harry doesn’t lose his head in a crisis–’there’s no wood,’ honestly.”

What battle did you like the most?

The final battle between Harry and Voldemort gave me chills. Even though they didn’t really do anything except talk. The things Harry said to Voldemort gave me an overwhelming feeling of pride.

What made you cry the most?

There are two parts in the entire Harry Potter series that made me cry the most. The first was when Dumbledore was killed in Half-Blood Prince. Like Harry, Dumbledore was my mentor and I felt a huge loss when he died. (See the post “Albus Dumbledore.”)

The second was when Harry walked into the forest to sacrifice himself in Deathly Hallows. I knew Harry would “die” in Deathly Hallows, but it didn’t hit me that it was actually going to happen until the moment he started to walk into the forest.

Whose death affected you the most?

Other than Dumbledore’s, Hedwig’s death affected me the most. I knew people were going to die during the series, but I didn’t even imagine or think that Harry’s owl would perish; I figured she would be immune. Hedwig was there for Harry during the summers when it felt like he had no friends. And, he didn’t really get a chance to mourn her loss.

What/who made you the proudest?

I was proud of Harry when he made the decision to sacrifice himself for the greater good. I know he knew it had to be done, but knowing and doing are two different things. It just shows the kind of person Harry is to actually sacrifice himself.

What made you the happiest?

There are two moments that made me the happiest. The first is when Harry realized he liked Ginny and they kissed after the Quidditch match in Half-Blood Prince. I had wanted Harry and Ginny to get together since Chamber of Secrets, so I was glad when they did.

The second is when Hermione kissed Ron after he defended the house elves in Deathly Hallows. My thought was, “It’s about time! After six books of waiting, they finally kiss!”

What was the biggest shocker?

I was shocked most when Dumbledore died. I had a feeling he was going to die in Half-Blood Prince, but I didn’t know he would actually die, how, and by whom. When it was Snape who killed Dumbledore, I was so shocked and outraged because Dumbledore said he trusted Snape. (Of course, Deathly Hallows made this all better.)

What quote gave you the most advice?

There are two quotes I like equally. The first is a quote by Dumbledore from Sorcerer’s Stone: “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that”, which, as you’ve seen, is the motto for my site. I tend to dream a lot and this helps me remember to live in the process.

The second is a quote by Dumbledore from Chamber of Secrets: “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” For my birthday one year, my mother-in-law made a wooden sign with vinyl letters with this quote on it. I absolutely love it!

You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw
If you’ve a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You’ll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.

If you were a student at Hogwarts, which house would you be sorted into? I’ve taken several “house sorting” quizzes in the last week and I’ve been sorted into Hufflepuff and Slytherin the most.

My latest results put me in Slytherin. This quiz is the longest, but I think it’s the most accurate because it sorts you based on personality not necessarily likes/dislikes. My only issue with the quiz is I don’t think I’m power hungry. Maybe, however, that’s where my need to be the center of attention comes into play. Here are my results:

70/100

Said Slytherin, “We’ll teach just those whose ancestry is purest.”

Slytherin students are typically cunning and hungry for power. Important members include Draco Malfoy (Harry’s nemesis), Professor Severus Snape (head of Slytherin), and Lord Voldemort.

58/100

Said Ravenclaw, “We’ll teach those whose intelligence is surest.”

Ravenclaw students tend to be clever, witty, intelligent, and knowledgeable. Notable residents include Cho Chang and Padma Patil (objects of Harry’s and Ron’s affections) and Luna Lovegood.

52/100

Said Hufflepuff, “I’ll teach the lot, and treat them just the same.”

Hufflepuff students are friendly, fair-minded, modest, and hard-working. A well-known member was Cedric Digory, who represented Hogwarts in the most recent Triwizard Tournament.

30/100

Said Gryffindor, “We’ll teach all those with brave deeds to their name.”

Students of Gryffindor are typically brave, daring, and chivalrous. Famous members include Harry, Ron, Hermione, Albus Dumbledore (head of Hogwarts), and Minerva McGonagall (head of Gryffindor).

Other Notable Sorting Quizzes

Harry Potter Movie Page: I was sorted into Ravenclaw on this quiz. (To get to the quiz, open the Marauder’s Map, go to the Castle Grounds, and click the Sorting Hat link.)

Hogwarts House Sorting Quiz: I was sorted into Hufflepuff on this quiz, even though my scores for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were the same.

The Twilight Lexicon (Lex) has been shut down until August 7. I was quite sad yesterday when I found this out. Luckily, Anna, someone I’ve become really good friends with, e-mailed me with her MSN Messenger name before it shut down so we can still talk. I would’ve missed talking to her the most.

The Lex has been shut down due to an Eclipse shipping error on Barnes & Noble’s part. A lot of the fans who pre-ordered Eclipse through Barnes & Noble will receive their book today or within the next couple of days, even though the scheduled release date isn’t until August 7. (I’m so jealous.) Because of the leaks that occurred with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Stephenie Meyer asked the Lex to shut down until the release to help prevent spoilers.

I’m very grateful that everyone’s trying to keep spoilers down to a minimum because I don’t want the book spoiled for me.  But, at the same time, I feel … so … disconnected. But, there are only 12 days left, which isn’t too long of a time to wait.

Happy birthday, Brandi!

To get ready for The Simpsons Movie coming out on Friday, a website has been created that allows you to “Simpsonize” yourself. This entails you uploading a headshot of yourself and allowing the program to work its magic.  Once the website gives you a base to start off with, you can tweak different characteristics, such as eye shape, hair color, hair length, and body type.  It’s a lot of fun, but it takes a long time because the website’s really slow right now with all the traffic it’s receiving.

I think my “Simpsonized” self turned out very well and looks quite a bit like me.  I wish I could make Corey’s look a little bit more like him, but I’m not sure how.  He just looks like a regular “Joe” drawn as a Simpsons character.

Happy belated birthday, Jen!

Before I say anything, I want everyone to know I won’t give anything away. My first post about the book won’t be until July 28 (changed based on Becky’s feedback–see first comment). I don’t want to ruin the experience for anyone.

As you can tell, I haven’t really posted anything for a while. I was so busy trying to finish Half-Blood Prince, and then my Internet connection went down on Friday night. Although, by that time, I was so engrossed in getting and reading Deathly Hallows I wouldn’t have posted anything anyway.

I went to a Harry Potter midnight party at Borders with my nieces Amber and Megan, and Amber’s best friend, Ashley. We had lots of fun! We made wands; we made flowers to put on Dumbledore’s and Sirius’s graves; we were sorted into a Hogwarts House–I was sorted into Hufflepuff; we ate blood pops–that’s why I’m sticking out my tongue in the picture above; we put on temporary tattoos; we listened to a local band called Harry Potter and the Lightning Bolts; and, we got our book around 12:15 am.

I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Sunday morning. It took me about 18 hours to read. As you can imagine, I’m extremely tired, but staying up to finish the book was so worth it. I absolutely loved the book and I thought JK Rowling couldn’t have tied up the loose ends any more nicely than she did.

I’m so glad JK Rowling decided to share the wonderful story of Harry Potter with the world. These books have changed my life. I didn’t really like to read before I read Harry Potter. Sure, I read a few books here and there like enjoying a good mystery by Mary Higgins Clark or a good science fiction novel, Dune being my favorite. But, it wasn’t until I picked up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone that I realized that I do actually enjoy reading.

If you had to choose your favorite Harry Potter moment from any of the books, what would it be? My favorite Harry Potter moment was when Harry realized he liked Ginny in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

I finished reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. As I read the last page of chapter 37, “The Lost Prophecy”, I couldn’t help feeling sad because I know what’s coming in Half-Blood Prince. Dumbledore cares so much for Harry, more than Harry can or will ever know. His love seems so unconditional. His greatest desire is for Harry to be safe and not to carry the burden that he has to.

I know it was hard for Harry when Sirius died, but I feel much more of a loss knowing Dumbledore will die at the end of Half-Blood Prince and not able to help Harry in Deathly Hallows. I tried to cry when Sirius died, but I find myself more teary-eyed as I read the last two paragraphs of chapter 37.

“I feel I owe you another explanation, Harry,” said Dumbledore hesitantly. “You may, perhaps, have wondered why I never chose you as a prefect? I must confess … that I rather thought … you had enough responsibility to be going on with.”

Harry looked up at him and saw a tear trickling down Dumbledore’s face into his long silver beard.