L.E. Fidler > Recent Status Updates

Tonight’s chat: dueling, differentiating between Justin Finch-Fletchley and Colin Creevey, bets on who would win a Wizard duel, how much Lockhart stinks, Harry speaking parseltongue

The definition of cubicle, Hermione’s love for Lockhart, predicting quidditch glory, connecting the dementors to Macbeth’s witches, who gets to sit next to mom and snuggle

Tonight’s chat: what the word “peculiar” means, the various professors who are grade of houses, amateur taxidermy versus petrification, the lengths Snape will go to sabotage Gryffindor in the House Cup, predicting who will sign a note for Harry to use the Restricted Section of the library, polyjuice potion

Tonight’s talk: would you admit Nearly Headless Nick to the Headless Hunt? What exactly is a death day? Weird math, what’s worse: calling someone mud blood or squib, the difference between a poltergeist and ghost, what house Professor Trelawney is a member of

Book chat: quidditch math (if there are seven players on Gryffindor’ team, and three are female, how many identify as male?), slugs as a gross curse, why Slytherin has no girls on its team, the myriad definitions of the word “pitch”, the Dickensian nature of Colin Creevey

Tonight’s discussion: does the movie unfairly portray Neville’s abilities compared to the book, why people write hearts in their notebooks, slugs as being the creature equivalent of the word “moist,” the danger of wanting to be the smartest person in the room, what kippers are and what to pair them with at breakfast

Tonight’s discussion: does sorting into houses ensure rivalry and sew disharmony, what’s the difference between witchcraft and wizardry, are there other trains that go to Hogwarts or does the Hogwarts Express run only on specific days at specific times?, why is the chapter called the Whomping Willow when it’s mostly about the enchanted Ford Anglia?

Ray and Mommy Book Club #1: Currer Bell as a pen name, birds and orphans in 19th century England, the difference between bourne/born/borne, freaking out about ghosts, misogyny in Victorian England

Tonight’s discussion: the problematic binary of “head boy” and “head girl” (we didn’t get quite to the TERF talk, but it’s coming), the difference between manner and manor, why Percy is utterly forgettable in the first few books, how the magic gene works in muggle DNA

Tonight’s discussion: why Ron’s ears turn pink, why it’s helpful to listen to the recap, why the burrow is the best house, a definitive ranking of the Weasley children

I only had to stop and cry like twice so far, so that's good.

Kids had a spirited debate over Odyssey or Chamber of Secrets; clearly, this one won. But Odyssey is next!

Tonight’s discussion: if Uncle Vernon hates Harry so much, why did he try to save him with the shot gun against Hagrid in the first book? Also why does the narrator say Aunt Petunia and the Dursleys have “no magic in them” if Lily was magical?

There’s this killer dramatic irony here that’s making me feel so tense and uncomfortable when I read. I don’t know what the name fit that is - when you read a prequel and know some things are coming and you just keep waiting for them to fall. It’s tough for this empathy demon but am definitely into the book.

Tonight’s chat: consent in Ancient Greece, Achilles’ underpants, who Scamander is, which gods fight for which side, why Hephaestus is the coolest god in the book, cowardice in the Trojan bloodlines, hubris (always)

Tonight’s book talk: hubris and Patroclus, why Achilles is “SO stupid,” what “scornfully” means, the complicated depiction of the grieving enslaved women, Achilles’ magic horses

Tonight’s discussion: Patroclus and his special friendship with Achilles, the pronunciation of Achilles, plain vs plane, if you were Diomedes would you take Odysseus with you to spy, why Dolon is the worst, proofreading mistakes, what it means to be “blazing” with the desire to fight, and Paris’s epic bow skills.

Tonight’s discussion: Ancient Greek funereal rites, the gods and their various abilities, who should win/who is worse, how to control the weather, will the horses in the chariots be okay?!

Tonight’s discussion: the traditional definition of epic, male-centric plots and heroes, is Troy “real” (bless the historical note!), ancient combat techniques, the dehumanization of war

Things we discussed: women as “spoils of war”, Greek name pronunciation, why humans fight

Finished penultimate chapter. Just wanted to use the word “penultimate” in a sentence.
#teamblackknight

It does not do to dwell on dreams, Harry, and forget to live.

#socksareadreamcometrue