I wasn’t really a big Harry Potter fan.  I did not read the books – I only watched the movies.  And even when the movies did come out, I wasn’t impressed with them – especially the first one. This is partly because the first “Potter” movie came out the same time “Lord Of The Rings (Fellowship)” did.  It wasn’t until the “Goblet of Fire” movie came out that I really got into the series.  But even then, I decided not to read the 6th book.

But after watching “The Order Of The Phoenix” two weeks ago, my curiousity about the series really got the best of me.  I bought the 6th book, “Half-blood Prince” and read it with much enthusiasm.  The book was very thick and daunting.  And yet, I slept a little late at night and during lunch, I would hurry up and run home to read a chapter or two. I wasn’t able to finish it in time for the 7th book release (July 21).  However, I did manage to finish the book last Sunday, whereupon I bought the last book of the series – “The Deathly Hallows”.

I can’t help but say that “Hallows” has got to be,… no…  it is…  the best book I have ever read (so far).  It was truly addictive and the action does not stop, from the very beginning up to the climax at the end.  And the ending, oh the ending…  Rowling couldn’t have made it better.  All of my questions (and everyone else’s) were answered in the end.  (No spoilers here) But YOU have to read it!

Harry and his friends are now older, though still teenagers, and as such are more intriguing.  The series really shows the “coming-of-age” of our beloved hero.  (Pictured on the right are the three whose friendship seemed to falter at times, but they nevertheless stuck with each other until the end – even ’till now!)  And although the story is a mere fantasy, I love the fact that Rowling really dug deep into the human aspect of things.  As the kids got older, they started to rebel and obey, fall in love, seek the truth, challenge themselves, be the outcast and yet the hero,… and find the meaning of it all.  There were parts of the book where I was, quite literally, almost into tears (I need to emphasize “almost” here).  Most specially the line “he was probably the bravest man I ever knew”.

What a classy ending!  I finished reading today.  It took me almost a week, but hey,…  I work too darn much!  And I know that I’m starting to sound like an overgrown kid, nerd, geek, (freak).  But the book really was that good!  I am saddened, however, by the fact that there is nothing else to look forward to but the movies.  I can’t wait for them to come out.

Remember awhile back when I went back to Adam’s Canyon and hiked by myself, and I told you about the song “O Praise Him” by David Crowder, and how I kept rewinding it, and that I was really glad that I know the Lord? Watch the movie below and let me know if you are not moved. The video was shot in New York city, and for them this might be a normal thing. Just another lunatic in the streets of New York.  But for this guy it wasn’t. It was genuine.  

I get a real sense of guilt everytime I see this – to the point where I ask myself, what the heck am I doing… Am I doing enough? The song kind of slaps me in the head. Especially the line “…All this for a King..”

Watch and be moved.

I’ve always been a big “Dashboard” fan – one of my favorite bands.  For some reason, their songs seem to always make me feel relaxed.  I feel inspired to write a song everytime I listen to them.  But I can never get myself to do it.  His words seems like the ones you would read off of someone else’s diary.  It’s full of emotion.  And sometimes you’ll feel as if it’s “your song”.  As if he took your thoughts and everything you ever wanted to say and wrote them for you.  If you have money to spend, buy their album on iTunes.  But if you only have 99 cents to spare, you can start with their song “Remember To Breath”.

I have all of their albums and I know all of their songs.  I think I’ve memorized most of them.  I have suffered from too much Dashboard Confessional.

Anyways, here’s one of my favorite songs by them.  Cool video!