Magic Man

(Heart, 1976)

Today Ron and I joined the thousands of people flocking to the theaters to see the new Harry Potter movie, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." It was, quite simply, fabulous. Lots of bells and whistles, fancy wandwork and the divulging of just a little bit more of what makes Harry Potter such a provocative figure.

I've been a fan of Harry Potter since he was just a wee tyke. I've read all the books, seen all the movies. I've never taken seriously the accusations that JK Rowling is a wiccan and that these books are somehow a plot to lead our children down the wicked, wicked path of witchcraft. She may, in fact, be a wiccan, but if there's a subversive plot on Rowling's part I think it was how to become a billionaire overnight. Plot well executed, if you ask me.

Tyler grew up on these books and he hasn't been lured into casting spells or summoning spirits. Well, there was that one incident when I caught him trying to order of eye of newt, a pint of lizard's blood and a voodoo starter kit on the internet . . .

I think the Potter books can be educational from the standpoint that there IS evil in this world and we would be wise to be wise to it. We live in a fallen world. There are bad people and there are, conversely, very good people whose eyes are on the Prize and who refuse to be lured into the snare. Harry, being just an ordinary boy (except for the fact that he can do crazy things with a wand), has made choices all along the way that are honorable and draw others to the good side. If people are willing to look past the superficial supernatural aspects of the books, and subsequently the movies, I think they'd find some pretty redeeming messages.

And, on a completely unrelated note . . . Our gas bill (for the Prius AND the beater, aka the Plymouth Neon) this month was $26.03. Al Gore loves me. (Did you read, by the way, that Gore's 24-year-old son was caught with some weed and prescription meds that weren't his? The report I read happened to mention that he was driving a Prius when he was pulled over, so his dad can't be all that mad . . . )