In which Zephdae rants about the sixth Harry Potter movie.

Okay, so it had been about 2 hours and 15 minutes in the theater, and over all I was enjoying myself. Sure, I had some complaints (Lavendar is supposed to be a ditz, not a total SPAZ. And hello, she's in GRYFFINDOR!), but on the whole they were minor, and I understand they have to leave things out because there's just not enough time. (Just one thing they REALLY should have put in -- the Gaunts in the Pensieve! I'm okay with leaving out the rest of the memories, but hello, important!) I loved the Harry-and-Dumbledore-get-the-Horcrux bit. Super creepy with the Inferi, and Harry getting pulled into the lake (never happened obviously, but I approve because it makes for a more exciting movie). So badass with Dumbledore and all the fire!

BUT THEN IT ENDED. And I was like, WHAT THE HELL? What the hell was the point of bringing all the Death Eaters into Hogwarts if all they were going to do was watch Snape kill Dumbledore, then RUN AWAY?! Anticlimax much? And how lame was Harry’s final confrontation with Snape? “Sectumsemp—” “I’m the Half-Blood Prince, neener neener! See ya!” And would it have killed them to put in just one of Snape’s DADA classes? It was supposed to be a big deal that he was finally teaching it! They could’ve taken out that ridiculous, pointless scene with Bellatrix and Greyback setting the Weasley’s house on fire (Random, and also, WTF? Wasn’t it supposed to be protected by the strongest magics?), and put a little more effort into the ending.

One thing I did like, almost better than the book, was that Harry let Snape past him in the tower. At the crucial moment, he chose to trust Snape, just like Dumbledore. But I only "almost" like it better, because I know it made more logical sense in the book to have Harry immobilized, or else he so would've interfered.

Also, they really should’ve recast Ginny because whoever that actress is, she can’t bloody well act. I don’t blame them for not doing more with the Harry/Ginny romance, because it would’ve just been forced and horrible.

So there's my rant. On to the regular bio bit.

Books: Everything by Orson Scott Card, even the weird Mormon stuff. I have an entire bookshelf, and it's a big bookshelf, and it's literally crammed full. My collection is approaching 40 volumes, which is almost his entire oeuvre. Prolific guy. Also Neil Gaiman and Charles de Lint, who do make their presences known on my bookcases though not so extravagantly. And Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, because they were the first (and possibly still only) books to have changed my life. I have a thing for Louisa May Alcott too (beyond-the-grave girl crush?) - she wrote a ton of pseudonymously published thrillers and short stories that are excellent, but mostly people have never heard of them because she's only famous for Little Women, which is very different.

Many others, but I won't go on.

TV: Lost may be the love of my life, but otherwise I'm a Joss Whedon girl through and through. First it was Firefly (one of the best sci-fi creations of all time, and I miss it dearly); then, Buffy; now I'm on the third season of Angel. I do think he's missed the mark with Dollhouse, tho. It's missing the group camaraderie and lightheartedness of the other shows, and that ensemble bond is what Joss is so good at creating -- why aren’t you playing to your strengths, Joss? LOVE Alan Tudyk in it tho. So in terms of TV in general, I like Dollhouse, and I’ll keep watching it. But in terms of Joss, it’s seriously lacking.

I'm still watching and enjoying The Office, but it's definitely missing something from those early seasons (2 & 3). Gossip Girl is my guilty pleasure, tho I just can't take Georgina seriously. It's DAWN, people! It weirds me out, I keep expecting her to steal stuff or whine about Buffy not paying attention to her.

Movies: Once again, I'm a sucker for the science fiction. Even (or especially) when it's bad and ridiculous, like Timeline and The Core and The Day After Tomorrow. Give me anything with time travel and explosions. Or just good old fashioned end-of-the-world disasters. I like the good stuff too. The first two installments of the Alien and Terminator franchises...the original Star Wars...Blade Runner...Gattaca...Serenity...etc. Also, movies about serial killers. And romantic comedies.

Music: Generally of the folk rock spectrum -- low-key, lyrical stuff, like Beck. I branch out a lot tho. I don't like hard-core country but I respect the genre, and I like folk and bluegrass. Hate the fake synthesized country-pop exemplified by Taylor Swift and others of her ilk. I absolutely love Nick Drake, and I think it was suicide. I've been nurturing a crush on Josh Groban since I was 14. Sometimes I'm in the mood for girl-pop a la Jewel or Vanessa Carlton. The Beatles, obviously, because they pretty much changed the face of music. And I’m not sure why, but I’ve always really loved the song “In God’s Country” by U2, from Joshua Tree. I'm always willing to dance out to some hip-hop or some old-school Spice Girls.

Hobbies: Mostly with the writing and the reading. Also, the getting obsessed with things (commonly TV shows, but also books, musicians, web sites, actors, etc.) that take over my life for several months before I come across something new. Buffy is my current obsession -- and not just the show: the entire ‘verse (I'm even reading the 8th season in comics). I keep journals in little notebooks that I call libelli. I also enjoy climbing trees and swimming in cold water. Like, glacier run-off cold. Or the Aegean in March. Pools are for wusses.

Ships: I'll stick to the major fandoms here, shall I? If I say something like Miro/Jane or Geordie/Jilly, then what am I talking about, right?

Harry/NO ONE. He should've died! That stretch in the 7th book, from the moment Neville climbs through the painting to the moment Harry "dies" -- BEST PART OF ANY HARRY POTTER BOOK EVER.
Ron/Hermione. Duh.
Tonks/Lupin! I swear I called it way before the 6th book. Okay, maybe not way before since Tonks only came in during the 5th.
Snape/Lily. I feel for the guy, okay?! He's my favorite! I have a "10 Things We Learned from Severus Snape" T-shirt. We designed it in Harry Potter club (known as WizMug) at school. I'm a member of Slytherin House. Duh.
Rose/Albus Severus. I just know it's coming. First cousins be damned.

Buffy/Spike, dammit! Angel's lame. His hair sticks straight up, and he's bloody stupid. Seriously, though. Spike is the most fascinating and complex character in the entire Buffyverse. (Followed, I think, by Wesley -- and who could’ve seen that coming back in Buffy season 3??) I think I could write several soliloquys on Spike and his journey to redemption; PM me and I'll send you one.
Oz/ME. Sure, you can read this bio, but if you want to know what Zephdae is like in real life (admit it, you know you do), it's pretty much Oz. Just with girl parts and longer hair, a notebook instead of a guitar, and no furry little problem. If he weren't sadly fictional, I would marry him. And he's in the comics now, at least for a few issues!! Apparently he's some zen non-werewolf guy living on a mountaintop.
Willow/Tara 4evah! Tho if I were a lesbian, I’d want Tara for myself. Damn, that Willow had some good taste. Seriously, where can she go from here? She's already been with Oz and Tara, the two best people in the Buffyverse.
Giles/Faith. Okay, that one's not serious. I don't think. But in the comics, I love that they're a team now. So it's a friend-ship. Or a partner-ship.
Xander/Dawn. And I'm serious about this one. Not during the show, obviously, (ick) but later. He's only five years older, and I've always thought there was a connection between them -- Xander's pretty much the younger sibling of the Scoobies. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Anya too, especially at the end of season 7 (wheelchair fight!). But if I had to choose a secondary Scoobie to come back, sorry Anya, it would be Tara. Anyway, if the Xander/Dawn thing ends up happening (in the comics, obvi) – I SO CALLED IT.

My Lost ships are complicated, because they've changed over the long years as the show goes on. Whereas Buffy, I pretty much watched all at once so my opinions were fully formed.
Desmond/Penelope. That's the only one I'm really invested in anymore. If Des and Pen are not alive and well and happy and together at the end of the series, I will find Damon and Carlton and eviscerate them. Then probably have a mental breakdown because the show is over. And, I guess, because I just killed two people.
Sun/Jin. Love the characters, the storyline, the flashbacks. Sun has always been my favorite female character.
Sayid/Nadia. WHY DO THE WRITERS KEEP DESTROYING SAYID'S HAPPINESS?!
Kate/NO ONE. I used to be Kate/Sawyer, but ever since season 3 I just find her obnoxious. Sawyer deserves better.
Jack/NO ONE. I've always disliked Jack. My hate has only grown more vehement as the show progresses.
Sawyer/Juliet. I saw this coming at the end of season 4 and I dreaded it (more love polygon horrors), but I ended up liking them. Now I don't know why I didn't think of it before, what with my hatred of Jack and Kate and desire to see them end up alone. Now of course Juliet's all dead and altruistic, so Sawyer will probably end up with Kate after all. Then again, the last two times I thought someone was dead and altruistic (Desmond, Jin), he turned out to be alive.

I know these are obvious, but...
Jim/Pam
Michael/Holly
Dwight/Angela
And Andy should go gay with Oscar.

Quotes: "The monkey's the only cookie animal that gets to wear clothes, you know that? You have the sweetest smile I've ever seen. So I'm wondering, do the other cookie animals feel sorta ripped? Like is the hippo going, 'Hey man, where are my pants? I have my hippo dignity.' And, you know, the monkey's just, 'I mock you with my monkey pants!'" - Oz to Willow, BtVS season 2. Pretty sure this is when I fell in love with Oz.

Now this one doesn't really translate well, but I love it to pieces.

"You could've had it. But you didn't have what it takes. (Raises his hand) An evil hand! I mean come on, who here does? Leon doesn't. Charlie doesn't. You do know you gave me an evil hand, right? I been writing 'kill, kill, kill.' It's crazy, it's crazy, anything could happen. Alan, how are you? (Hits him and takes his gun, shoots him in the foot) Ohhh, that's gonna hurt in the morning! Stop it, evil hand, stop it! I just can't control my evil hand. Nathan, I'm so proud that you chose me. (Ruffles Charlie's hair) Charlie! But, if I had been in your shoes, I would've chosen Lilah. Lilah is your guy. Me? I'm unreliable. I got these evil hand issues. And I'm bored with this crap. And besides, I'm leaving. And if you want to chase me, be my guest. (Knocks on table) Remember, evil. (Whispers) Charlie. (To Lilah) Good luck. (Grabs Lilah's butt, looks apologetic, points to hand) Evil." - Lindsey, Angel season 2. And then I knew for sure: I loved Lindsey (tho not as much as Oz, of course). Just in time for him to leave the show! Come back Lindsey, come back!

If you thought this was too long, you're right. But don't worry. I'll probably start feeling more concise in another couple of weeks. A month and a half, tops.