2009 Chula Vista Visit: The Sunday Dinner
Ah, what visit would be complete to Chula Vista without sitting around the 11 Center dining room table for a glorious Sunday afternoon feast? Dick and Bertha's dining room table can sit, um, 22 people? Comfortably. No lie. It might even sit more. The table was custom made and the dining room was expanded some years back to accommodate the Sunday evening gatherings and other dinner parties. Dick sits down on the end next to the French doors; Bertha sits on the opposite end - some 20 feet away, near the door to the kitchen. I was expecting the traditional Sunday roast beef today. Bertha makes some mean pot roast, mashed taters, veggies with cheese sauce, and melt-in-your-mouth orange rolls (with a shrimp cocktail appetizer). But Bertha mixed it up today and served us Northwest salmon; trying to make us feel at home I guess. Karen came down to dine with us, as did Tom and his family, and Dan too (and his family). Tonya and Jim blew us off. Phhhpppt.

Book Review: Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
On page 31 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Professor Snape offers this:

It became apparent to me very quickly that he [Harry Potter] had no extraordinary talent at all. He has fought his way out of a number of tight corners by a simple combination of sheer luck and more talented friends. He is mediocre to the last degree.

I could not have written a more fitting summary of these last few issues of the Harry Potter books myself: "mediocre to the last degree". In the Half-Blood Prince, the first 550 pages of exposition could probably be re-written (or *gasp* edited) down to 100 pages... max (with the entire first chapter removed outright). The pages were absolutely dreary to read and, to add insult to injury, when the pace finally started to heat up... we are reminded how truly mediocre our hero Harry really is, utterly dependent on those around him. This is supposed to be the guy that takes out Voldemort (and Snape, and Malfoy Sr., and Malfoy Jr., oh, and solve world hunger) in the concluding and final book?! Please. Harry can barely follow basic instructions (given to him just five minutes earlier by Dumbledore) to use fire to ward off the zombie (er, "inferi") hordes that attack him in the cave with the Horcux. Yeah, Harry will make a great auror. Not.

Now, I realize I'm probably one of the last few persons on this earth to read Half-Blood Prince, so I can spoil the ending of this book and not really offend anyone.

(*Warning: spoilers ahead!*)

It is absolutely pathetic that Rowling chooses to most idiotic means to kill off the strong characters in her books. First there was Sirius Black stumbling somewhat accidentally through some "Arch of Death" in the subterranean floors of the Ministry of Magic. Then in this book, we are given to believe that Dumbledore ("the greatest Wizard evar!!!") is somehow disarmed by a clumsy junior wizard and is then finally finished off by Snape while laying helpless on the ground. It's stupid.

Riddle me this; it is something I just can't figure out. Why does Dumbledore - just before he dies - use the time he has for just one last (silent, un-uttered) spell in order to incapacitate Harry under his invisibility cloak (supposedly saving Harry for the umpteenth time) instead of using a spell to disarm Malfoy Jr. of his wand?! With Malfoy Jr disarmed, Harry could have just cold-clocked Malfoy from under his invisiblity cloak... 2 against 1 right? Dumbledore and Harry could then fight side by side against Snape and the other Death Eaters that eventually arrive on the scene. Dumbledore could still die at the hands of Snape (after taking one or two Death Eaters out), but he would then die in a matter fitting the strength of his character instead of the lame way Rowling kills him off. If the movie doesn't correct his grave mistake, then the producers of the film should be sent packing.