please respect spell limits

When I was kid, obsessed with Little Women and Nancy Drew and Narnia, I'd make up continuing stories where I was part of the action, a character amongst them, immersed in their worlds. But that had to stay all in my head.

For years, as you know, Julia has been creating her own Harry Potter books and adventures -

This past week she got to be part of the action -

We flew to Orlando, woke up at the crack of dawn (the time change killed us) to be early at the park to be among the first when it opened.

I've never been much of a theme park person. I'm now a convert.

My kid was in heaven - I mean Hogsmeade.

Julia enters the Wizarding World of Harry Potter....

un-imaginary lands....

This is one of those parental dilemmas -

When do you say it's not real? And you know who I'm talking about (think yearly holidays and gap-toothed smiles and visitations in the nights bringing money and gifts). I think M killed the tooth fairy this morning, along with leprechauns, when J figured out her leprechaun note was in his handwriting (Note this is the first year she's put out anything for leprechauns, a tradition I'd never heard of before). Evidently there were tears....

There were tears the other day in the car too. A long day at school and an assignment to write about some place you want to go. I suggest place after place to no avail.

"I want to write about some place imaginary" she says

"Write about Hogwarts" says I

"But Hogwarts is REAL."

I shut up and drive on.

Which of us did the right thing?

Only just over two years 'til she gets her letter of admission....

we're off to see the Wizard....

I almost don't want to say it in case it magically disappears.....

But spring break is coming....and with that our first just-us vacation in years.....

Guess where we're going....

Break out the floo powder and click HERE

A Snitch A Day

One way to get J to go to the farmers market every Thursday at 18th and La Cienega - the magical apple man who carves a SNITCH you can EAT!

Healthy, Magical and oh so tasty....

(needless to say he always gets our business)

I thought I blogged about that -

I'm behind - what a surprise -

It's not as if the past months the love for Harry has waned. There was the Harry Potter magical birthday party at Los Angeles' fantastic Whimsic Alley in June. There was our partially-censored mommy-daughter screening of Daniel Radcliffe on the Actors Studio. There was the turning on of a new HP devoted five year old in our lives to Whimsic (and therefore making her dad the man of the hour bringing her there to WIN their halloween contest).

There's the fact that the kids in J's class are finally reading Harry Potter and joining the general obsession themselves.

You'd think that would be cause for joy, right? Until now Julia's friend in Potter obsession has been just her pal Will (and 16 year old cousin). But no - after years of wanting other people to understand the love, she's not so down with the love. Why does everyone like Harry now? is the question. And a bit of possession - the girl is not liking sharing her magical world. Not a lot of respect for those coming late to the table.

Doesn't stop her from enjoying the Dumbledore's Army of Wall Art she got for Chanukah though.

Helping Haiti through Harry

http://www.thehpalliance.org/haiti/#

Julia sees Nargles

Ladies and Gentlemen - Halloween 2009

A sweet memory amongst the receipts

I'm getting audited. Yes, audited. Because the IRS really has nothing better to do with their time - like find other Madoffs - and I have nothing better to do with my time - like write a new play.

So 2007 - it was year of productions, workshops, writing, writing and writing and constant sinus infections. At least that's what I've got so far, reviewing my calendar up to May 10th, 2007, where I see I wrote this in an email to a friend:

So I read Julia the first chapter of Harry Potter last night. She woke up at 630 this morning and wanted me to read her more (I got her back to sleep). Then we had a babysitter tonight, right after I read her another chapter. She was crying when I left so Kat asked her if she wanted her to read her more HP and Julia said yes. And that's what they did all night - she read her up to page 140! An addict is born.

Just as I found this I heard Mike saying to Julia - "you said you were just going to put that in the living room, you did not say you were going to put back on your ipod and listen to Harry Potter". (Book 6 by the way, and a hot pink shuffle)

The addiction continues....

(if I could I would tell you about a little contribution I indirectly made to the next film today, but I can't)

And, by the way, in a discussion about Heaven and Hell and who gets to go where, Julia asked me if Madoff is going to Hell. Any thoughts on that?