The aftermath of the release...

Hey! Don't ask me about the book, though! I'm still halfway through it. And don't you dare tell me about the ending, if you've finished reading it, when you see me on the streets. My my, I must say, after reading the first seven chapters, I had the impression that J. K. Rowling wanted to fit in as much action as possible even from the beginning. Since it was the final installment, she was going to give it all she's got. And it has shown up pretty well so far. Not too slow moving and not too fast as well...

It's a cloudy Monday for sure. A new week, but no ordinary week. Now that Harry Potter has come it's not going to be that routine or meaningless. You know, when the book was released at 7:01a.m. on the 21st of July, I never thought I'd be anticipating it that much. I guess it's not everyday Harry Potter gets released in stores. The bookshop I went to didn't display the books on the shelves for people to take for themselves. You had to queue at the cashier if you wanted to purchase a copy. Fair enough, I guess. That way no one would be able to browse through the book if they were to sell it openly. Oh by the way, if you thought I was one of those "madly in love with Harry Potter" fans who queued outside the bookshop before the clock struck 7:01a.m., you were wrong. I decided that morning that I was a bigger fan of my bed...

So then, I'll try to give you my critique on the book once I've finished reading it. Right now, it's storytime...

Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix

And the new week begins with this rushed feeling that came from nowhere. Suddenly there are so many things to do. But first things first. Saturday was cool. My cousin, the one who came back from Australia (and is also the latest viewer on my blog), celebrated her 21st birthday way in advance. Nothing wrong with that since she's heading down under this Thursday. So Happy Birthday once again! And Bon Voyage just in case I don't see you soon enough!

Friday was spent seeing Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix. Ah yes, the one all Potter fans were anticipating this month. Overall rating for me? It was... good. Just good. No doubt it was probably the fastest moving installment compared to the other four. But that's not a bad thing. The book was dreadfully long - thank God their summary skills were good. The only setback for me was the climax. Not only was it so short, but they filmed it so quickly until it was so hard to see what was happening! Especially the part where The Order Of The Phoenix came to the rescue and fought with the Death Eaters. I was eager to see who was fighting who - but the camera did a 360-degree spin around the entire scene! What a waste!

And then of course there was the hightlight of the movie: Voldemort versus Dumbledore scene. Again, too short, too short! And blimey, it was kind of interesting to see them using the elements of fire, water, and wind to duel. The book didn't have that, but I guess using the elements would make some sense to people who don't read the series. But I was expecting more, to be honest...

Another thing I have to comment about is the music for the film. I have to say, it didn't catch my attention that much compared to the first three films. It's somewhat like the fourth movie where there were not many distinct tunes for certain characters or events. Probably the only scenes where the music got my attention was during The Advance Guard flying Harry to the headquarters - there was this drum-like, marching style theme - and Fred and George's grand dropout from school - a little Irish Jig, I could hear. I know they increased the volume in those parts but I have to say, they were pretty fitting. However for the other parts, I was trying to catch certain tunes but they just didn't surface enough. There was music for sure, but just not catchy enough, if I may politely say.

The whole movie was only 2 hours plus long. I really think they can afford to make it a little longer - maybe 2 and a half hours at the most. Like that they can extend the climax a bit, make it a little more detailed. However I must say that there were a lot more "tidbits" in this movie. There were humourous scenes like Fred and George's grand dropout from school and the newcomer Luna Lovegood - my God, she's good! I just love her calm, sweet voice. Such a breath of fresh air, if you ask me.

Well, at least Potter fans have something else to look forward to this month: The final book of the Harry Potter series - Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows. July 21st, 7:01a.m. local time here. And that's just this Saturday! Wow, this is certainly the end of a 10-year chapter in history. As the saying goes, "All good things must come to an end". But I shall add my own saying, "To make way for more good things to come!"

It must be heaven sent...

What a great job it is. Yesterday was my first day - or should I say night - on the job. Nuance-Watson's the company. Heard of it, anybody? Yeah, and all I have to do is pack the customer's purchases into temper-evident bags at the counter.

Blimey, even my colleagues were taken aback with the jobscope. Simply doing that for 4 hours has to be heaven sent. And there's more. The staff there are so darn friendly and caring. No doubt it's a female environment but they really are very concerned about you. One of my colleagues even said that the cashier he was working with bought him a drink. Now that's what I call, "Welcome to the family". What a nice boost of morale he got from that orange juice. Here's where I can truly say, "All is well in my world..."

And now it's already 4 o' clock. Got to get ready for tonight. I start my packing at 7. So I guess I'll leave you here, then. I'll write back soon...

My third job for the (really extended) holidays...

Blimey! I just accepted an offer for another temporary job. Guess where's it at - the airport once again! But this time, I'll be working retail. Yup, I hear they need people for the duty-free shops in the transit areas. My first time working retail; bound to be a good learning experience. The best part is, some of my former colleagues will be joining me, too! Well, experience comes with experience...

I'll be working under the same manpower agency as my last job. And boy did they call on time. The reason why is because, from a metaphysical perspective, the dragon (which is my zodiac sign) will be experiencing good luck until the 6th of July for the fifth month of the Chinese solar calendar. That's because in Flying Star Feng Shui, the number 6 star occupies the dragon position presently, and it stands for "unexpected windfall" and "luck from heaven". Securing a job now would be auspicious for the dragon, as heavenly blessings can befall on it. Any projects or undertakings performed after the 6th of July would be inauspicious, as by then the number 5 star, which stands for "extreme misfortune" and is also the most feared star in Flying Star Feng Shui, would occupy the dragon's position.

How convenient, Feng Shui. I believe I'll be making my way down to the airport tomorrow for an interview/job training session. As good luck is currently with me, I'll pass some on to you. Good luck!

Behold, a new world...

So it's a new month and here I am again, still stuck without a job. Hey I did apply for one but I'm still waiting for the outcome. Anyway that was on Friday and it's a Sunday today, so I guess I'll be hearing from them pretty soon.

I don't know whether I should go into detail here but I guess I shouldn't. You see, that same Friday was a powerful day - very powerful, in fact. It was as if I discovered a new world. The reason why I said I don't want to go into detail here is because I'm still new to this new-found world, and also because I find I'm not really the right person to explain this new world to you. That's why I'm just going to show you the person who led me into this new realm. Again, I guess you should know by now that the usual means whereby I discover new things is through books. And so the author I'm going to introduce you to is Doreen Virtue, Ph.D.. She really is an angel - literally. The very first book I discovered from her is titled, "Realms of The Earth Angels". And I guess after reading the last two lines you'd think I was impossible. But trust me, go and find her books if you really want to see what I mean. The only thing you need to have is an open mind - perhaps a very open one - and an open heart, which means just tune in to your intuition a bit, let your inner self speak to you. The book I mentioned above is a pretty good introduction into her world - at least for me. But I have a nagging feeling it'll also be a good conclusive book for some readers. No matter, I'll let you decide...

So then, now that I've poured out my experience, I shall continue to explore and delve deeper into this fascinating new world that I've found. I guess we both need good luck on our sides, so good luck to you and me...