Then and Now.

When those 3 unknown kids signed on to do the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, they probably had no idea what they were getting into...that this film would change their lives forever...that children (and adults!) all over the world would "worship" them...

And now they are super-rich teenagers plugged into a literary and film phenomenon so colossal that they can easily retire from the business and never have to work again, should they choose.

I know alot of people (read:adults) avoid reading the Harry Potter series. Some because it's just too popular or too "kiddy". But as an avid fan of the series, I can tell you that the books are some of the finest ever written in the fantasy fiction genre. They grab you from the first page and keep you guessing until the very end. The multitude of characters are fully fleshed out and attach themselves to your psyche. They also contain more "adult" storylines than you can imagine. Remember, children live in an adult world, and in J.K. Rowling's brilliant universe, they are frequently confronted with adult quagmires.

As the series progresses, the "children" grow up. By book 5, they are teenagers fighting along side the adult wizards against evil forces and magic that surely seek to destroy them. The wizarding world they live in is so fantastically imagined by Rowling. No detail is left undescribed. And it also mirrors the real world...containing frequent allegorical tales of politicians and governments gone bad. There are also tales of love and loss, of triumph and tragedy...They are the kind of books that when you read them, you think about them for weeks afterwards. This is no small feat.

I will definitely be going to see the 5th film this week. I try not get frustrated by the fact that due to the number of pages of the 5th book, Order of the Phoenix, the movie will undoubtedly have to skip over alot of material in order to tell the story in just under two hours. But no matter...just being able to see that fantastical world brought to life on film is satisfying enough.

Confessions of a Broke Apple Junkie.

In my fantasies, I own an iPhone. Steve Jobs calls me personally on it and tells me how i will get free upgrades for life just because i'm such a loyal customer. Commuters ooh and ahhh on the train as i brazenly play with it's touchscreen.

In real life, I look at photos of celebrities holding it. I salivate while watching news reports on it. I smile inside at the marketing genius of Apple Inc.

You see, I am what is sometimes called an Apple Geek. People like us take brand loyalty to a new level. People like me (with money) wait outside Apple stores for 2 days when new products launch. I wanted to go hang out just for the experience of it. I'm sure the Apple store at 5th Avenue & 59th St in Manhattan looked like Woodstock until the iPhone went on sale. The first geek in line who bought the iPhone was probably an instant hero who emerged victoriously clutching his booty and encountered shouts and tears and cries of joy. That may have even been the crowning achievement of his lonely, sheltered life. Who knows..

All i know is I cherish my Powerbook and my Ipod. The rest, I watch humbly and jealously from the sidelines.

Today Is Where My Book Begins.

This is a verse from my favorite song (right now): Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield. It inspires me to write and today, I have begun. I'm writing a short fictional story called Furlough and I might post some of it here soon. We'll see.

Now if she'd only write a song called Unpacking, i might actually get it done.

Thirty-Six.

When I was a child, I used to be so super-excited about my birthday. For the entire month of June, it was all i could talk about or think about. I would tell EVERYONE that it was coming up. The night of June 30, i could barely sleep. It was my day tomorrow: me. mine. Everyone was gonna celebrate the fact that i was born and give me hugs and toothy smiles and presents. I wondered what kind of birthday cake I'd have or if someone was going to surprise me. I'd get witty cards with money taped inside that corresponded w/my age. It was better than Christmas. I'd even pull out of my drawer my special "Today is my birthday" pin and wear it all day just in case i'd missed telling anyone.

As I grew into an adult, my expectations for my birthday were forced to change. I would still be very excited about it but you slowly realize that others often are not. Or I'm often not sure of how I should try to celebrate it. Once i threw a party for myself and invited a bunch of people and only 2 or 3 showed. That was such a letdown that i never attempted that again. And i don't have the type of friends that throw surprise parties. So no more parties. You're not a child anymore so no one's got a cake waiting for you. I usually ended up buying my own cake since the kids wanted to see me blow out candles. Presents are also few and far between, unless you have a significant other.

But it's ok. I've learned to adjust. On Sunday i didn't do anything that i *really* wanted to do but it was an ok day. I relaxed, which is always good, and I did what I always do: made sure everyone else was happy and having a good time. The kids played in the park and mom sat in her favorite chair in the grass. I did get alot of calls from friends and family, which definitely makes one feel good inside. Lots of people told me they loved me (except the one i really wanted to) so i do understand that at this point in my life, it's more about celebrating life...I don't have to have the cake and parties and surprises. Next year, I may actually just decide to spend my birthday alone.