J.K. Rowling: Sexist?

(warning: if you have not read Harry Potter the following blog entry might confuse you, you have been forewarned.)
Okay so I've been re-reading the Harry Potter series for the bazillionth time and just finished the forth which led me to an unexpected realization.
In the Triwizard tournament there are four champions, three guys and one girl. Throughout the tournament the one girl, Fleur, is repeatedly the worst at every task.
She is last with Cedric for the first task, then does not complete the second task, and in the final task she is like attacked and unable to defend herself. What's with that??
First why is there only one girl and second why does she seem to suck at magic?
Of course there are stronger female characters such as Hermione, Ginny and Luna, but some of the other female characters (ex. Lavender Brown) are less amazing than the males.
Have to dash. Ta.

untitled? oh wait... no.

Okay people since I have nothing I can think to write about I will make a public announcement for your medical health:

WASH YOUR HANDS. We are coming into the cold and flu season people and the best way to stay healthy is to keep viruses and germs off your hands. WASH THEM!

I really need to go outside. Sitting in the dark is doing bad things for me.

Well that was short but hopefully it will help you avoid infection this season. :-)

The Second Part

If you want to read the second part of the story below go to www.soccergirl15-mylife.blogspot.com

Short Story

It was two weeks before halloween and me and my bffls were picking out costumes, and thats when strange things started to happen. I was extremely bored sitting in the changing rooms, i was waiting for all my friends to try on their costumes. In the meanwhile i was staring at an old looking photo it looked vintage sort of. It was a women standing behind a man who was sitting on a old wooden chair, they looked kinda familiar. I was trying to think if i had ever seen this photo before. As I was stareing, quickly the eyes of the woman moved, in panic, i closed my eyes and looked again, nothing was different. It was probably all in my head. Just at that momment my friend popped out of the old rustic changing room.
"Tada" she yelled
She was probably dressed in the most stupidest thing i have ever seen.
" What are you supposed to be?" i asked
"Ummm i don't know" She replied
"But it has a red button"
"Seeeeee!"
She pressed the red button.
"Wow" I said.
"it does absoulutly nothing"
"I know, but it's cool anyways" She said.
I laughed and told her to change so we could pay for it.
That night Kelsey stayed over night since it was already 10 when we got home.
We were so bored that night that we went on msn at 12 midnight, one of my friends was online so i clicked on her.

Superchick993: Hey it's me and kelsy's over too!
Prettybird6687: Heyyy
Superchick993: wuzzz uppp!
Prettybird6687: nothing much whatcha up too?
Superchick993: nothing we r totally bored
Prettybird6687: omg u know wat u should do??!!
Superchick993: wat!!!??
Prettybird6687: make an ouiji board
Superchick993: i heard those things r kinda creepy
Prettybird6687: u never know unless u try
Superchick993: ok talk us through the steps on making one
Prettybird6687: ok step one.........
It had tooken us 20 mins, to make one and then we started.
"Ouiji board can you please contact a person beond the dead".
The triangle pointed to yes.
"Umm who is this" i asked.
The letters poined to I-T-H-I-N-K-Y-O-U-K-N-O-W-W-H-O-I-A-M

By the way

by the way that last post was by me Cassidy but really just call me cass or something

First Meeting

Good First Meeting guys! sorry i had to leave early (by the way i came in 26th out of 128 girls) in cross country i can't wait until november 4th

Calling all Semiahmoo Teens!

I hope you all had a fantastic summer! I know I did! Lots of great reading and adventures! I know it's sad to think that the summer is almost over, but don't worry, the Semiahmoo Teen Book Club is starting again soon! So, come one and all and sign up before it's too late.

The nitty gritty:

Ages 13-17

Tuesdays, 3:15-4:00 pm

October 14

November 4

November 25

December 16

Register by calling 604-592-6907.

Hope to see you all in October.

A blogger in Germany

Hello,
Cait emailed me and told me of the tremendous trouble she's been having blogging, so I graciously told her I would blog this for her. As you can tell, I am writing in pink. Cait's words shall be in red.

"Hello League of Extraordinary Book-readers!
It's Cait, just sending a friendly hey from a third of the way around the world in sunny Germany. I wanted to give you a quick update of what I've been doing. My job is great, the family is so nice and the kids are highly entertaining. The city is beautiful, so old and historical, I love it here. I've only been lost once, painfully, slowly improving my appalling German and been terribly homesick for beautiful BC a couple of times, but there are only eight more months to go (at the end of which, I will have ironically enough mastered the language, so I hope)! Otherwise, everything is great and I am very happy. I didn't get a chance to read Mimus, despite that it's a German book, as I have been very busy with my new job and making new friends here. Missing everyone in the bookclub and our lengthy intellectual discussions and I will try to blog again (once I get the hang of German internet).

Tchoos, Cait!"

So, there you have it, a hello from a German blogger. I hope you all appreciate the effort we went though to share this with y'all.

H&K,
RM

Painful books

Have you ever read a book that was positively painful? And I don't mean, ouch this books gave a paper cut, painful. I mean a cringing painfulness, where you want to burn the book you're reading but at the same time you're dying to know what happens next.

It's like you're screaming at the character (usually the protaganist) "DON'T DO THIS, YOU IDIOT!" but of course, they can't hear you. Then they do something particularly stupid and you don't want to read anymore, but there's that burning desire to find out how they are going to get out of the nice little hole they've dug.

It feels like everything's been set up so you can feel this way, so that you can think of a dozen other choices for the character to make, that avoid the one thing that makes the book interesting. But why would you? Why would an author choose to have their charaters enjoy an easy life? What kind of book would that make? If you want an interesting novel you should make your characters jump through rings of fire. I think so, anyway.

But that's all for I'll say for now. Tata.

A good book

Hey Hey
I just want to take a second to point out that none of these fonts are very exciting. They all look the same. Luckily for all, there's colour.
Anyway, Back to the reason I started this post. I wanted to let everyone know that I read a phenomenal(?) book called 'Why I let my hair grow out' by Maryrose Wood. It's about this girl who chops off all her hair and dyes it bright orange. Morgan's (the girl this book is about) parents think she needs some 'time' and pack her off to Ireland for a weeklong bike tour. Once there, she meets a cutie named Colin who has a delicious Irish accent (I can imagine it) and flaming red hair (which is SO hot!). After the tour gets underway, Morgan falls off her bike and is somehow transported back in time circa Middle Ages and a place where faeries still wreck havoc on unsuspecting villagers. So now, as she travels back and forth from Modern day to Faery time, she endeavors to save the kingdom from the trick of the Wee Folk.
It's witty, historically accurate and it just fun to read. I highly reccomend it to the LEBR.
Later days chickies,
RM

Top Model Rant

Hello Readers!
And I know there are so many of you. There are so many fans of us Extraordinary Readers. We're like the Harry Potter of the library. Anyway what was I going to write about? Yes, right: America's Next Top Model. I'm addicted to it, yet it irritates me on more levels than one. I mean come on Tyra, we know you're a conceited drama queen but you say the same thing in every episode, can we mix it up a bit? We all know about the "fabulous prizes" and "amazing judges" how about something new? Any why did Twiggy have to leave the panel? I liked Twiggy, she was way nicer than her replacement Polina. Polina drives me crazy, she's so annoying!!

If I've offended anyone with this post sorry. If you love Tyra, my apoligies. I realize I have been a bit harsh. But Tyra is a bit conceited. Look at all the pictures hanging around the house. They are all of her!!! It's crazy. But moving on.... anyone seen Girlicious? Don't even get me started on THAT show!

~Alex

Muffin joke

Okay here is a joke. I hope very much that it makes you laugh. It would be funnier if I got to tell it to you, but this will have to do.

Two muffins were baking in an oven (I know it's strange that there's only two but work with me here) then one muffin says to the other muffin,
"Oh my gosh, it's really hot in here."
The other muffins responds to the first muffin,
"Oh my gosh, it's a talking muffin!"

Get it? Because he's a talking muffin saying oh my gosh it's a talking muffin. If you didn't get a laugh from that I apoligize. I'm not entirely sure how funny it is when read.

Also have you ever wondered why phoenitec isn't spelt (or is it spelled?) the way it sounds?

Idle thoughts part 2

Seated, listening,
the room not unlike
a university lecture hall.
A student, bored, plays with a pen,
One gets up and goes,
returning moments later.
One's leg jitters impatiently,
nervously.
Speaker remembers life lessons,
phrases and words take shape
"prophet" "code" "drugs" "angels"
All combined to form flowing sentences.
Seeming confidant, looking around;
easygoing, calm,
unlike the picture painted of a past life.
I ask a question, smiling shyly, speak timidly
Answers easily
End discussion

Idle thoughts part 1 (or poems I wrote during a lecture)

Eyes unseeing,
glazed over with boredom,
staring sightlessly
into space,
Seeing nothing and everything in one glance;
Past, Present, and Future,
as I hear a voice recount its life.
Push golden red bangs
out of wide blue eyes,
Lashes, long, coated black,
lids swept with dark shadow,
Bold against the white face,
the only boldness I dare.
Eyes sting, heart clenches
as we strive for dreams
A segment of life
Not yet reached

Excerpt from an unpublished novel by an aspiring author

Two strangers, a man and a woman, meet on a train. His name is Craig and hers is Megan. Megan is on the run and Craig more or less guesses at her predicament, hinting he knows more than she is telling him in their conversation.
Craig: Have you seen 'North by Northwest'?
Megan: No, I haven't.
Craig: Hitchcock at his finest. It is about an ordinary man who becomes involved in intrigue and espionage. Escaping police by train, he meets a beautiful woman who invites him to join her for dinner. Imagine if the roles were reversed. Either way, a woman would have to be very careful to issue or accept an invitation from a stranger.
Megan: What if there wasn't a choice?
Craig: Isn't there always?
Megan: Do you always win at guessing games?
Craig: I don't guess, and I never miss.

***

To Linda

I dedicate this poem to Linda, the librarian, who is extremely adept at picking out thought provoking novels for discussion.

Why do the League of Readers never post?
They may as well be eating toast,
It doesn't take very long,
To write a poem, rant or song,
It would make Linda insanely joyous,
To read about our summer in Osoyoos,
So get going and post,
It's more productive than toast,
It's not that hard,
And you don't need to be a bard

I hope you enjoyed this poem.
~AJM