Random things we do, part 2

In case you haven’t figured this out yet, I’m a pretty big fan of the Harry Potter series. I started reading the books when I was about five or six, and it just caught hold of my imagination. I’ve since read the books over fifty times at last count, and I can quote the movies (apparently, I’m also quite good at knowing the chapters of each book…Brent tested me the other day). About two years ago, I stumbled upon the fan site Mugglenet.com, and I was thrilled to find that I wasn’t crazy (or that crazy, I guess) in my love for the series. Last year, the site started a new segment/website thing with an accompanying podcast called Alohomora! Basically, it’s a global reread of the series, and on each episode they analyze all sorts of things, and then listeners get involved in the analysis on the online forums. I got involved on the forums, talking about all kinds of cool connections we found in the books, and I was actually made a moderator on the site. And then, just a few weeks ago, I was invited to actually be a guest host on the podcast!

I was so excited and nervous that day, I really didn’t know what to do with myself. What if I sounded incredibly stupid? My roommates probably thought I was going insane, I was so uptight. But, there I was at the right time, my nice recording equipment all hooked up, my book marked with notes, and then off we went!

It was an incredible experience. There were three of the regular hosts on the show that day, and we were discussing chapters nine and ten of what is tied for my favorite book in the series, Prisoner of Azkaban. I had a great time, and it was just so fun to nerd out for a while with people who understood why I love these books!

The episode was released this past week, and you can listen to it here or on iTunes (episode 24, "Filch's Hidden Passion")! My nickname on the site is Ali Wood (it’s a long story, but basically what you need to know is that I like the character of Oliver Wood), so that’s what they know me as. I’ve even gotten some positive feedback on the forums about it! It was so out of my comfort zone, but it was a spectacular experience, and one I hope I get to repeat.

Getting ready for the show!

Also on the literary/English nerd front, a few weeks ago, I met a real life published author! Here at BYU, the English department sponsors a Reading Series every Friday. Basically, authors come and read some of their work for about an hour, and then there’s a book signing afterward. So a few weeks ago, Anthony Doerr came, which was really exciting because we have been reading some of his work in my Literary Analysis class. His collection of short stories, Memory Wall, is becoming some of my favorite writing ever, I think. It a really interesting collection, with stories all focused around what memories are, how we keep them, and why they are important. The idea and the way he presents it just fascinates me.

So a few weeks ago, there I was all excited just to see a real author. His reading was great, and then came the book signing! I stood in line pretty much shaking the entire time. When it actually was my turn, I could hardly talk my heart was pounding so hard. But he was very kind, and for the first time in my life, I now am the proud owner of a signed book. I didn’t stop smiling all the way home that day! This is one of the best things about college: I get to really focus on the things I love, and I get to learn more about them then I ever thought I would.

Signed book, aaah!

Random things we do, Part 1

We really do do some random things out here. So here's a little snapshot into the life of a freshman college kid...

One of my favorite things that has happened so far this semester is the initiation of Sunday game night. There’s a little group of us who gather in my neighbors’ apartment every Sunday after ward prayer to just hang out, play some card or board games, and usually eat food. This week, we had a great game of Clue.

First of all, never play this game with AJ if you’re just looking for a really laid back game. The kid is on the warpath to win that game for once. He pretty much had all of our cards figured out by the end of the game, and he was probably the first to figure out what was in the envelope. However, Alex and I figured it out pretty soon after he did, and it was a race to the finish.

Now, I’m pretty obvious when playing Clue. It’s not very hard to figure out what cards I’m holding. Lucky me got a few good breaks, though, and I figured out the cards in the envelope one right after another. But Alex’s strategy was to hold me and AJ back so he could get there first. Meanwhile, AJ is trying to keep both of us back and confuse us all to get there first. I wasn’t one hundred percent sure I had it right, so I was trying to use their strategies to finalize mine and get to the envelope first. I’m pretty sure by that point, Cassidy and Bekah had given up and were just trying to mess with the three us who were trying to win. We ended with Rachel filling in for Alex, AJ just a few steps away, and Alex/Rachel set perfectly to win. Alex ended up winning (he came back right after Rachel won for him).

Sunday game night has also led to our new nicknames. I really don’t remember how we got started on these, but I’m pretty sure it was the boys giving all the girls ours. And so, Kennerley is JFK (apparently because Kennerley sounds like Kennedy); Cassidy is Sid the Kid; Bekah is Jake (from Jacot – it took them a while to decide on that one); Kat is Kaaaarl (it has to be said just like that, too); AJ is Alice Jane (our best reusing of his initials); Alex is Alexa (not our most original, but it works); and I am either Al or Tony (Alex has called me Al for a while, and AJ started calling me Tony when I mentioned that if I had been a boy, my parents were thinking of calling me Anthony). We’re a pretty crazy bunch, at once super competitive and laid back. Take, for example, last week’s game of Pit. At one point, AJ and I were fighting over a card, both cracking up, while everyone else was laughing at us too. Not to mention the fact that the entire building probably heard us, we got so loud.

This is going to be one of the things I miss the most after this semester. These impromptu things that turn into the best memories. Bekah and I were talking the other night about how this will all change so soon. We are halfway through this semester! Only two months until we leave, off on missions, or to go home, or just moving somewhere else around campus. And two months will go so fast! Don’t remind me!

Part of our little group...don't tell Cassidy I used this picture. (from left, Kennerley, Cassidy, AJ, and Bekah)