Like I mentioned yesterday, I did see most of the plot coming from a mile away (and I haven't read the books yet) and as soon as something was introduced I knew how it was going to be used agian later. But unlike some other movies, that doesn't bother me here. It's like what I said about Lagaan - it's just fun. It makes ou feel warm and fuzzy. And it reminds me of all those books and stories I ever loved as a kid.

Several high points:

The kids have grown a bit. It was ... weird ... to see them slightly older and different from the first film. It's starting to make me feel a bit old when I notice a few years later that kids look vastly different and I look the same as my photos from five years ago. It was fascinating to see them.

The table wand duel with Alan Rickman and Kenneth Branugh. I couldn't stop giggling. I've wathced so many Materpeice Theatre type films with those two in them, playing serious roles that it was an absolute *delight* to see them playing these one. I got this flash of Kirk and Spock for some reason ...

And the young actor who plays Harry Potter - I don't know his name. But I SWEAR he gives me the feeling he's a male version of one of my freinds who's crazy about him....

Looking forward to another installment. Ooh, and looking forward to December 18th! (Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers)

I got up last night at 3:30am to drive out away from city lights (out to the "Devil's Backbone" of the Hill Country) to watch the Leonid meteor shower with Jeff. Since I didn't get back to bed until 5:30am and I had to get up again for class this morning at 9am, I'm bushed.

It was worth it though. There were a couple of super-bright ones that left briefly lingering streaks across the sky. Ooh.

Some related links:

• NASA's Leonid storm flux estimator
• New Scientist Article
• Leonids at Space.com
• More NASA info

I remember the first time I ever saw a meteor shower. I was in high school and I and my family were coming back from our family trip (by car) to Canada for the summer. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time on our trip back down. It was August, right smack in the middle of the annual Perseids meteor shower, only we didn't know it. But as we were driving, late into the night, through the Vermont mountains on a suburbly clear and moonless night, we started seeing them. After spotting about 6 or 8 of them - and noticing people stopped along the side of the road with their headlights turned off - we pulled over, shut off the lights and got out of the car. It was *spectacular*. We probably watched for a full hour, and I remember distinctly counting about 16 or more in one *minute*. It was a full-fledged meteor storm and we had the best possible viewing conditions anybody could hope for - a clear night, in the mountains, far, far away from any city lights, right in the middle of the height of the shower.

When we got back from the trip I did a little research to find out what was it that had happened and what we had seen. I was fully expecting it to be a one-time phenomenon and was estatic to learn that it was an annual event. Since then I've sat out on several occasions to watch the nightly show.

I just hope I can stay somewhat focused for the rest of the day, until I can make it back to my pillow.

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