Something For The Potter-Philes

I'm fully aware that the timeliness of this entry is entirely moot. The whole Harry Potter series is finished, and the details of this little nutmeg of a theory are well past the point of being relevant. Still. Now's as good a time as any left.

Let's rewind a few books to Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire. The book begins with an unflattering view on Voldemort. The Dark Lord has been reduced to a sickly, malnourished-looking infant from hell. He needs constant attention, and is for all intents and purposes helpless.

He goes on to return to power. They spend no small amount of time covering the exact means of how he pulls this off. It's a HP book, of course the villain gloats and reviews (in succint detail) his schemes.

Where I've been sketchy, since Goblet of Fire was first published, was how exactly Voldemort went from intangible half-ghost to wretched baby creature in the first place. He floats off in anger and defeat at the end of book one. His diary-bound doppelganger arrives and vanishes in book two, and Voldybritches makes no appearances whatsoever in book three. He's merely the Dread Lord who's about to rendezvous with his servant (Wormtail).

So the riddle (ha ha) is this: how does an incorporeal shade of a being get himself a body? Even a wretched one?

I think I figured it out.

Book Four introduces us to the aide of the Dark Lord, namely Barty Crouch, Junior. It also presents the debut of a snake. Nagini. This behemoth of a python is later revealed to be a Horcrux, an item/living thing infused with a fraction of a wizard's soul to ensure their immortality. And... Nagini is female.

I think Nagini gave birth to the sickly, infantile Voldemort.

In the first book, Voldy/Quirrel regales our hero with how he spent his days in the Albanian woods, capable of little more than inhabiting the minds of animals. It establishes that he can occupy space in their body.

Nagini was capable of laying eggs, being of the feminine persuasion. Already a repository of a piece of Tom Riddle's soul, how far-fetched is it to surmise that she bore him long enough to place him in an egg? Wormtail had various duties as Voldy's nursemaid, including milking Nagini. Who but the offspring of a reptile could benefit from snake milk?

Later on, after he's regained his full stature, Voldemort is hairless, pale, certainly cold-blooded and his nose is nothing more than a pair of flat slits. How much of a stretch is it to describe him as a reptile man? The son of a snake?

Anyway. Musings that have been bubbling on the back burner for a while. Worth typing down, at any rate.

Your thoughts?

Two Outta Three Ain't Bad

It's been a decent day. I made the traditional phone calls to family and most of my loved ones. Only most.

I got in the appropriate amount of Claritin-protected cat sitting for a college friend, and even managed a tasty Christmas dinner w/ Topping, thanks to my Aunt Viv & Uncle Rich, and the good folks at Omaha Steaks. Scrumptious. We even watched Scrooged, one of my favorites of the season.

Now, it's nearing ten o'clock and I'm home. The tree looks nice. With nothing left to do before tomorrow, I'm spending some quality time with Watchmen and a wonderful website brimming with annotations. There are worse ways to end one's holiday.

Merry Christmas, folks. I hope you're warm. I hope you're safe. I hope you're with someone you love. If you have those three blessings tonight... you're set.

Ciao for now.

I Long For Annotations...

I consider myself an intelligent person. Along with enjoying complex works, I also enjoy delving into the analysis of said works by more steadfast minds than my own.

To wit, The Fly (1986). I adore this movie. Top notch performances from Jeff Goldblum and Gina Davis. Superb makeup and special effects. Heartbreaking story.

Regardless of said intelligence, I lack the finesse to analyze the more specific elements of said sources of delight.

There was, at one point, an in-depth analysis on several levels of The Fly. I can't find it anymore. That annoys me. That annoys me greatly.

I have books for annotations on other masterpieces (more than one for the works of Alan Moore) and the fact that this one was online and now no longer accessible is just... flumoxing. I'm flummoxed. Damn it.

Anyway. Your daily allowance of pretentious meanderings from someone too caught up to actually sleep.

Ciao for now.

Tomorrow

I won't lie; I've had a rough time of it lately. Work has been scarce, and money right along with it.

Tomorrow that may all change. I have an interview at a law firm for an executive assistant position that, frankly, could change everything. A respectable income, a regular job... I've reviewed their site, and any one of the available positions could turn everything around.

Incidentally, the audition this afternoon went well. I'm being put in their files. That's showbiz.

So. I have that interview tomorrow at three. Please, please keep your fingers crossed.

Life Getting In The Way of Life; Where Life = Work

Damn it.

The search for work continues, leading to a temp job Tuesday, Thursday & Friday of the week, with a job interview Wednesday on which it is difficult to comment. I'll get to that in a minute.

Tomorrow, I have a voiceover audition that I'm greatly looking forward to. It could be for repeat business, doing the sort of narration that's very Casey-appropriate. It's also at 12:45 and impossible to reschedule. I don't want to reschedule it, even if I could.

The burr in my shorts is over the temp job I have scheduled from noon to eight; and my necessarily late arrival is throwing it into question. I don't know what else I'm supposed to do.

I'm not missing this audition. If I have the opportunity to find some work in my field, then I'm going after it. I moved to New York for office work to accommodate my theatrical and voiceover careers, not the other way 'round.

This item is the umpteenth on my list of stressors at the moment. Single. Broke. Seeking work...

Speaking of work: The interview on Wednesday is for a charity organization; my job would be on the streets, seeking to enlist donors/givers/whatever the term is. Street work. I feel conflicted about this. I'm hesitant, but honestly? At this point I don't have the luxury to be picky! If the best job I can get is as a walking pop-up ad, so be it. I've submitted dozens of job applications in the last several days via Craigslist, and the grand total of responses has been one: The charity gig.

It's frustrating. Immensely so. The whole thing. On top of the returning health issue, necessary-and-unwelcome alterations to my work-out routine and the ongoing internal debate of whether or not I can make it to Maryland for Christmas.

Balls.

I need to vent. I need to unload some stress, hopefully at the gym. I need to get these things straightened out immediately if not sooner. I feel angry, frustrated and generally ticked that things have gotten to this point. Ain't life grand.

Bad Luck & Good News

Here's the straight poop.

A few days ago, my phone fell out of my belt holster thingie (the technical term) and clattered noisily to the floor. Since then, several buttons no longer work. Nothing important, just the SEND button. And the 5. Oh. The 7 and * buttons, too. I can't make outgoing calls to anyone that isn't already in my 'rolodex'. I took it to the store, and it can't be repaired.

That's bad luck.

The good news is they can replace it. The total fee I'll be paying is: $0.00. Whew. New phone should be here in two to three (business) days. They'll be able to transfer over my phone list, no problem. The saved pictures might be lost... but it's a small price to pay, all told.

What the hell, more good news while I'm at it. I have a short gig in the morning, at 8, so I'll be getting to bed early tonight, by hook or by crook. In this instance, crook = sleeping pill, since I've been somewhat nocturnal of late.

In any case: Best news of all? I have a meeting with a VO agent on Friday! Woo hoo! He's heard my demos and may have some scripts I can audition for. No idea what manner of work is available, but the fact that we're having a sit-down can only be good.

Ciao, kiddos. Off in a short while to attempt counting sheep. Adios.

Trudging Onward, Hopefully Upward

Gentle Readers, this day finds me bedecked in a suit and tie, returning from a job interview that, like week-old Ginger Ale, seemed flat. I don't think I'll be getting the job.

Upon hanging my hat, I sallied forth online to that most hallowed of establishments, Craigslist, and ventured to answer any and all employment opportunities for which I was qualified. Finished with said task, I expect my cohabitors and myself shall take to the streets in search of festive Yuletide timber with which to festoon our livingspace. Fa la la la, la la la la.

The quest for income will resume forthwith; as new opportunites avail themselves on the fore-mentioned website. Tally ho.

Hrm. Meh!

Today... was not a bad day. I did a fair bit of transcribing, had a voiceover audition and possibly lined up a prime job interview for tomorrow. At this point it's out of my hands. Lord knows I could use the money.

Well... it's this or nothing. I'm about at the end of my rope; so if this doesn't give... something's got to. *whew*

Stray, Random Thoughts

I'm re-reading Kingdom Come for the fourth time at least. A few months back I treated myself to the Absolute edition, which made a delightful difference. I've likewise acquired the Absolute Watchmen. I hands-down, flat-out, no-holds-barred love these books. These stories. They're remarkable. (And it's worth mentioning that Watchmen influenced Kingdom Come. Hell, it influenced comics in general. Yay Alan Moore. YAY.)

I'm writing a comic. It's a miniseries. It's self-contained. I won't lie, my influences are largely Alan Moore and Joss Whedon. I just want to write something with some meaning. Something with staying power. For all accounts, this could be it. It could work. It helps strongly that this is going to be published. I know it. The contracts have been signed. Can't wait for that day.

Anyway. That, among other things, is on my mind. So there ya go. Be well.