Awesome Harry Potter Poster

It's been a while but I've just opened up an Etsy store and I am trying to sell posters so if anyone wants to support the cause:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/120135080/minimalist-harry-potter-typography

Thanks!
TCS

NFL- Nearly Fatal League

So the talk of the last week since Junior Seau's suicide has been the safety in the NFL, mostly concussions and their effects. Questions have been flying around about everything from suing the league to not letting our kids play the game anymore.  It makes sense to get this kind of reaction because of the publicity that the topic is getting, but are we jumping to conclusions here?
When a player enters into the NFL, they know full and well that it isn't two hand touch football.  These are the best athletes in the nation running full speed trying to knock each other's heads off. So why are we all surprised when they get concussions? That's part of the game.  But that isn't even what makes me mad really. I'm all for safety. What makes me mad is that we're all of the sudden suing the league for having concussions.
Do you think police officers sue their police department because they have to fire their weapons? NO! Not a chance in the world.  They sign up knowing that they're more than likely going to have to shoot someone in their career. That's just the truth. I don't like it, they probably don't like it, but it has to be that way.  And as long as we want football, then concussions are going to have to be part of the game.
And as for the topic of concussions causing suicide, that's bull.  Think about it, how many other professions are televised and covered by the media like professional sports? None.  The highest suicide rates among professions are actually in dentistry, psychiatry, and marine engineering.  But we don't hear about them on ESPN, The Dan Patrick Show, Around the Horn, or 60 for 60.  We freak out because we hear about it.
So should football change, or end, or whatever they want to do? No. Unless they come up with an upgrade in protection, then no.
We actually increased the risk for concussions by adding face masks to helmets.  Do you think that people were coming in head first with those leather helmets on? I don't think so.
I'm sure this is only a headline because of the dead period of sports we're in but let's be honest, we shouldn't be talking about it at all. Just play football guys.

Hunger Games Patch

So I'm planning on dressing up for the premiere of The Hunger Games and I want to get patches made for my clothes so that I look at least somewhat like I could be Peeta but I need some help deciding which color scheme looks the best! If you could just comment on the number you like the best! Thanks for the help and ask questions if you have them!

1

2

3

4

And also if you have any suggestions they are more than welcome!

Think

It's funny how life has it's way of pressing fast forward so that you don't have time to think.  You get to the point where every thought is just a thought and has no time to sink in and be really studied like it should be.  We always have somewhere to be or something to do and we rarely get the chance to just stop and enjoy what we have around us.  It's so hard to be able to just stroll around the block now.  The world is filled with fast food and online banking and speech to text and we just have to use them because it's time efficient and we never just stop.  Just stop. Now.

Think, even if it's just for a minute. Think about whatever you want to think about.  Think about who you are, or your family, or why the sky is blue, just think.  Thinking gives us purpose, it gives us the ability to understand why things are the way they are and have opinions about them rather than just accepting them to be true.  It's what life is all about, letting every word of a thought linger in your head until you fully understand it.  Sometimes I just feel like a pod that isn't doing anything worth while when I'm running around studying for tests, and working 60 hours a week, and paying bills.  I have to really slow down and hit pause for anything to feel real.  It's what keeps me sane.

So I guess what I'm preaching here or trying to unravel so to speak is that God gave us this gift to be very inquisitive and introspective but I'm afraid that people don't take advantage of it the way that they should.  Myself included, we just let ourselves get too busy.  So make time sometime to just contemplate whatever goes through your head.  It's hard to do, but once you do, you always learn something new.  All you have to do is think.

Words I Like

My family is sort of weird and at one point a few years ago we started picking out words we did and didn't like. So apparently one day in class, when I should have been taking notes, I wrote a few down.  Seeing as I don't want to forget them I figured the internet would be the best storage spot for them.  So here goes, some of my favorite words.

Impervious- I don't know exactly when I first heard this one but it is definitely in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows twice so that in itself created a special place in my heart.  But aside from that, it just has a nice fun sound.  I like the "per" because it seems almost mocking, and that's what I'm all about.

Culpable- This word kind of proves that meaning has nothing to do with my attraction to words.  It is more about sound for me.  I love the way that you go from the "p" to the "b" sound so quickly when saying this.  Even though I hardly ever have good reason to say culpable, but when I do, it puts me in a good mood.

Fantastic- So I think that the fact that fantastic is such a commonly known word that doesn't get used so often really makes me like it.  Also, the fact that it's meant to be a happy word adds to my liking for it.  The closure that the "c" brings at the end just makes it so much fun to say!

Swimmingly- This word is like a diamond in the rough.  It was more of a British or 20's type of word but it's really pretty neat.  It takes things to a new level of happy, it's just down right chipper.  It just reminds me of a gray headed man working on some kind of drawing or paper and saying "oh it's going swimmingly my friend". And that's sorta fun, in a Disney sort of way.

Ecstatic- The great thing about this word is how the syllables mix together.  It's almost hard to say because of the jumble.  Transitioning from the "c" to the "s" is almost like the word is exploding out from your mouth.  Like it can't even wait to get out, it is very fitting for the meaning of the word.

Allocate- I honestly don't know why I like this word, maybe it's the precision of the pronunciation that does it for me but it's just a very clean word.  It just works.

Preposterous- This word always makes me laugh because of how perfect it is.  It is very pretentious I feel like, but that is why it is so perfect.  Because any time some pretentious rich guy doesn't get his way I could see him just saying in outrage, "Why, that's preposterous!!"  It's got the imagery going for it that really draws me into it.

Absolute- I saved this one for last because it seemed liked it fit in here best.  Absolute.  Even saying the word by itself without context brings meaning to it.  The word in itself is has a certain finality to it.  It shouts that what has been said is final and not to be tampered with.  I absolutely love it.

So I hope you could actually make it through my ramblings but I feel like they were noteworthy.  Even if this was a bit ridiculous, maybe it made you think of some words that you like.  Or even words that you don't like.  For me gulch and hiccup are two big no-no's.  Ugh, gross.  But anyways, I hope you liked it and maybe soon I'll go back to blogging about deep and introspective things again!

Galifianakis

If you don't like this guy, go watch Visioneers. It will totally change your opinion of him.

Butterbeer Recipe

For starters, I want to give credit to the following site for this recipe as it is not mine in any way shape or form:
http://wizardingworldpark.com/top-5-butterbeer-recipes/2010/08/20/
But this is the best Butterbeer recipe that I have come across without counting what they actually have at the wizarding world.  I hope that with only 1 week left until the big day that this will come in handy for at least a few people! Enjoy!

Our final result!

Ingredients
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
4 12oz. bottles cream soda

Directions
In a small sauce pan, over medium heat, combine the brown sugar and water.  Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

Stir in the butter, salt, cider vinegar, and 1/4 cup heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rum extract.

In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and the remaining heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped. About 2 to 3 minutes.

To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses. (About 1/4 cup each)  Add 1/4 cup of cream soda to each glass, then stir to combine.  Fill each glass nearly to the top with additional cream soda, then spoon the whipped topping over each.

Pumpkin Juice Recipe

So in all of the rush of preparations for the eighth Harry Potter movie, I'm sure that some people are going to engage in some Hogwartian festivities.  And what better to do this with in the summer than with Pumpkin Juice?  For some people it may not be exactly "convenient" to drive to Orlando, Fl to buy a bottle from the Wizarding World, so I have the next best thing.  After a few failed attempts I think that I finally have a solid recipe for a drinkable pumpkin juice!  So here goes!


Ingredients
2 quarts apple cider, divided
1 piece fresh ginger, (2") sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 16oz. can pumpkin puree


Directions
Pour 3 cups of the apple cider into a saucepan; add the ginger slices, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and cloves. Bring the mixture to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, add the honey and brown sugar, and stir to dissolve. Refrigerate the mixture until well-chilled, or up to a week.

When ready to serve, strain the apple cider mixture into a large pitcher. Add the remaining apple cider and the pumpkin puree; stir well.

Also, the pumpkin puree can probably be left out, but if it is used, be sure to use a good blender to cut it with.  And also be sure that you have a very good method of straining or else you will have bits and pieces everywhere!

I hope this works out for everyone and please tell me if it doesn't!! Oh yes, and tuck in!

Defending Our Castles

I was thinking about my friend the other day that has problems letting people in and I was thinking about how our hearts are like castles in a way.  We put huge walls and gates (sometimes with winged boars on each side) around them and we censor who we let in and keep out.  Then once we do let people into the castle grounds, there are still things outside the castle like the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid's Hut, and the Black Lake to deal with.  It's not until we allow someone into the Great Hall that we really start revealing ourselves to people.

Now, if you haven't figured it out quite yet, I am drawing a fair amount of parallels to the infamous Hogwarts castle from Harry Potter.  Whether or not this makes sense to do this, I don't quite know many other castles to make this analogy with.  So I am taking this paragraph to apologize for any disconnects that I have caused by this.  But for those of you who know about places such as the Room of Requirement and the Astronomy Tower, I think this may have some value.

Some people are perfectly willing to open up the gates to their castle and let in anyone who wants to join.  However, there is the opposite end of the spectrum to consider, the ones who let no one in whatsoever.  These are the people that are troubling to me, maybe not so much because they don't let people in, but rather because they allow people to see certain things about themselves without ever letting them in.  They let you look through the gates and gaze down from the mountains and you can get a good glimpse of what their "castle" is all about, but you don't actually know anything about it.

In a healthy relationship you would allow your closer friends into some of the more private rooms, such as Gryffindor Tower or the Room of Requirement.  And likewise, The person you marry, you would end up sharing your castle with, even allowing them access to the Headmaster's office.  Basically, the more intense relationships allow for more access inside of this "castle".

The goal is to have varying degrees of relationships on your life in order to have people to lean on when you need them.  Because at some point or another, in this crazy world we live in, our castle is going to be under attack.  It isn't pretty, it isn't fun, but it is the truth.  Granted, it may be feeble attacks, they are attacks nonetheless. And why it matters that we let people into our castle is this.  When we do undergo a large attack on our "castle", and make no mistake, we will, we have people backing us up.  We have people on our side, people to protect us.  Otherwise, we are left to fight the world by ourselves.  Otherwise, our castles will burn, and it becomes ever harder to let people in.  It becomes almost impossible to face our castles ourselves.  Then you are left wishing you just had a new castle, but that's the funny thing about it.  We only get one chance at a heart, so we have to value it more than anything.

A Choice to be Made

After reading the Harry Potter series again for the 3rd time, I finally am starting to see the underlying message that Mrs. Rowling had placed in her ever incredible story.  Yes, there is a clear and defined moral.  It's that our actions and desires claim who we are in life.  Even from the very beginning Harry is faced with the prospect of being sorted into the Slytherin House, which he sorely desires not to go.  But as we come to find out, he wasn't sorted into Gryffindor solely because he wasn't meant for Slytherin, but rather because he desperately didn't want to become a Slytherin.  

As the books go on we see more and more instances of this being true.  Harry saves Wormtail from the fate he surely deserved and not to mention the fact that he set aside his loathing for Sirius to hear his case.  Then he saves Cedric from Krum and also allows him to take the cup at the same time as himself.  Even in the face of being possessed by Voldemort, Harry finds the means to unlock his happiness and remorse to defeat him.  It's this constant stream of if vigilance towards all things dark that sets Harry apart from Voldemort.  Even in the most minor of details, it is Harry's yearning for good and Voldemort's thirst for evil that allow the story to unfold as beautifully as it does.  As Harry approaches Death so openly, it is his will to save the people around him that keeps him alive and eventually kills Voldemort.  His quest to not only set himself apart from all things Dark, but to also not let anyone suffer on his behalf embodies why Harry wasn't picked to be Slytherin that day.  But it does something even more essential.  It is meant to teach us something as well.

In life we will always be faced with choices.  Whether they are big, small, difficult, or easy, however, doesn't matter.  It is the consistency that we have in making them that matters.  If it wasn't for the choices that we make and for the desires that we have to be fulfilled, then what would we have to define ourselves by?  We haven't been put here to only think and feel certain things.  Harry didn't just think to himself that he wished none of this bad stuff would happen, he made choices, and those choices became actions.  God didn't put us here in hopes that we would only think He was our savior, master, and creator.  But rather he hoped that we would discover that and teach everyone around us what we have learned.  He hoped that we would not only feel His goodness, but live in it also.

Like it or not we are going to be faced with big decisions in life. They may not be good and evil decisions, but they will be life altering.  Because, by the nature of decision, life is inherently altered.  So what I am asking, what I am hoping for myself and my friends and my very few readers and really everyone in the world, is to be weary of our decisions.  Put stock in them, and really believe in them for specific reasons.  Don't just act because there is action to be had.  But act because there is feeling behind that action.  Or else we are shaking Draco Malfoy's hand in front of the door to the great hall.  Or else, we're just drones, at the mercy of world around us.  And that is something that I wish on no one.