Merry Christmas!

Hello! I'm blogging to spread some holiday cheer and wish each and every one of my followers a 
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!
How are you all doing this holiday season? I'm sorry I haven't been blogging lately, but I've just been so busy! Schoolwork, holiday shopping, you know.
As of the 21st I've been on winter break! Woohoo!!!!! More time for friends, reading, not doing homework, and, of course, blogging.
Are you doing anything special during the break? On Saturday, my friends and I are going to see Les Miserables!!!! My all-time favorite production!!!!!!!!!!!!! All I have to say is this: Russel Crowe had better do a dang good job as Javert, or he'll be hearing from my lawyers. I'm dead serious.
Well, on that note, Doctor Who: The Snowmen airs in 53 minutes!!!! How many Whovians out there are getting in there pajamas, taking a couple of holiday goodies, and hiding down in their TV room to watch it? *Raises hand* Teehee...I'll be curling up in my bunny slippers with a box of Russell Stover chocolates, and rejecting any family member who tries to join me. (I know that sounds mean, but Doctor Who is quite literally my only me time. :P.)
Well, I must get ready! To the TARDIS!!!!
Happy Holidays,
Hermione
(P.S. I would just LOVE to hear about your holiday, so comment with whatever you'd like--presents you received or gave, holiday traditions, etc.)  

Seana's Holiday Contest!

Hello! This is not a regular post, just a little reminder or notice that Seana over at The Totally Insane Writer is having a holiday contest! So be sure to hop over to her blog and check it out! All of the information is here.
Good luck, and Happy Holidays!
Hermione

Connecticut Shooting

One man.
His gun.
26 innocent victims--the majority of them children.
It makes me sick.
Why do people do this? Why do they bring harm to other people who had never even entered their lives before?
There is no word that is able describe this. I'll be praying for the victims and their families all throughout this week.
I read about these things and cannot believe how lucky I am. These children, with their whole lives ahead of them, will never know what could've been. And I'm still here. With a future ahead of me. It's enough to make anyone put away all of their sorry and realize how lucky they are.
Stay safe,
Hermione

Time to Make You All Cry

*Waring*: Contains spoilers for Harry Potter.
This paragraph was created by a fan, NOT J.K. Rowling:
At Luna’s wedding, the whole of the front row seats was reserved for apparently no-one. Harry went up to her at the end of the service. “Luna, who was meant to sit there?” Luna turned her glassy eyes to him. “Oh, they did sit there. In a spiritual way, I suppose” she said. She pointed out the seats one by one. “Right. That one’s for my mother, those are for your parents because I think I..would have liked them, that one is for Sirius, the one next to that was for Professor Lupin - they were friends, weren’t they? - and thats for Tonks, then Fred Weasley, then Mad-Eye, then Professor Dumbledore, then Professor Snape. I hope they liked the wedding.” She smiled and waved into what was seemingly empty space, before prancing off into the crowds. Harry had never felt so touched before.
"Every mirror is the Mirror of Erised to George Weasley."
--Unknown

Now, of you'll excuse me, I have created a river with my tears and must leave before I drown. Sorry if I caused any permanent heart-damage.

Hermione  

Lights...Camera...Stage Fright!

I get awful stage fright.
I start shaking, I can't breathe, and I think I'm going to barf.
It's the worst feeling ever.
Some days, I can get through it. Today was not one of those days. I was at my piano recital. There is only one other girl besides me whom both plays and sings. Anyway, for one of my pieces, I was singing with this girl (who is really nice), and I totally freaked out during the piece. I could only get a few notes out, and she was really doing most of the singing. I was supposed to sing a solo after that, but I just had to tell my piano/voice instructor I couldn't do it. Now I'm really disappointed :(.
As upsetting as that was, I realize now that it happens to everybody. My dad himself told me that as a boy, he was too afraid to play his clarinet in front of his own grandmother.
So if you ever are performing and get stage fright, just remember: it happens to everyone. Some may say that they don't get stage fright, but it's probably just not the freeze-in-place or want-to-barf kind. You'll be fine! And if you ever need to back out of it, by all means, back out! It's no fun if you feel sick!
Thanks for reading,
Hermione <3

At Approximately 9:26 pm Last Night...

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello! I'm here to send a little 'Happy Thanksgiving' message to all you bloggers out there.

Here it is:

Happy Thanksgiving! In order to make this post a little bit more eventful, I've added three (optional) survey questions, that you can answer by commenting!

1) What are your Thanksgiving plans (i.e. going to your aunt's house, inviting friends and family, etc.)?

2) What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?

3) What are you most thankful for?

Well, I must leave you now and help my mom prepare the dinner (it's at our house this year), so have a happy, happy Thanksgiving!

~Hermione

Blog Changes!

Hello.
I have a very important post planned.
First of all, yes, I am sorry for not posting like I promised, but we've all heard THAT one before. Now that that is out of the way (yes, auto correct, I DID mean to write "that" twice), Here is the importance of my post: I'm changing my blog. You probably noticed the new look (my collage on the top is a little too big), but I'm also trying to post more often. We've all heard that one before, too, I know. But this time I mean it.
Not that I didn't mean it the last seven-hundred thirty-six times, but this time I'm going to stick to it. I'm very busy throughout the week, but there's no reason I shouldn't be able to post once a week!
That is all.
Love and bubble wrap,
Hermione
(P.S. If you like my collage, I made it using Photo Visi. It's really fun and easy, and you should check it out!

Awkward!

So...
...I, uh, haven't posted for a while...
...and, uh...
...this is...
...this is kind of awkward...
...'cause, you see, I don't have anything to po--
WAIT! YES! I'VE GOT IT!
So a while ago, I held a poll asking which topic you would like to be featured on my blog. These were the results:
Tied for 4th was School (yes! I didn't really want to post about that one..sorry) and Music, each with 4 vo--
EW, UGH, THERE'S A HUGE CRICKET IN MY ROOM AND...ew...
Erm...sorry about that. Onto 3rd place: Movies, with 5 votes.
2nd place was Activites, and first was Books/Writing.
Hurray!
In my post announcing the poll, I said that the top two would be what I posted about. And they will be. As soon as I kill that cricket.
Please stand by until the next post.
Sincerely,
Hermione the Cricket Killer

Poor Little Viola!

Late last Thursday, there came a knock at my door. I opened it to reveal a miniature little viola (NOT violin) at my door. It was cold and wet, so I took it inside. When I placed it on my desk, it dropped something on the floor. It was...

A GUEST POST.

Yes, another one.

Thinking that this might be one of Seana's invisible teddies in disguise (I do detest those things), I immediately drew my sword. Then, I realized that I didn't have a sword. So I drew my wand. Instead of lunging at me, the little viola fell over on its back and didn't move.

It's funeral will be held this friday.

Anyway, the viola's dying wish was that this guest post, made by Destiny Skye, would be posted on my blog. So I tucked it away safely in my computer, promising to post it on Saturday. Which, of course, I forgot about until this very moment. So, without further ado, I present Destiny Skye's Guest Post!!!!

I, unlike Seana, am not a writer. That means that I do not have the ability to turn caffeine into books. Sorry folks. This might not a very interesting post.
Well, I’ve seen, by reading this blog, that Hermione likes music and Harry Potter. I do not know anything about the latter, only that Harry Potter in 99 seconds is funny. Listen to it . Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y57sYHIDP_Y
Yep, that’s about it.
       Music though? Now that’s more my kind of thing. I play viola which is a string instrument often confused with a violin. Curse you violinists! Sorry, I’m prejudiced against violinists. Yeah, something about violas never getting solo parts that’s all.
But anyhoo, see a difference?  I
didn’t think you would. The viola is slightly larger than
the violin. Also the viola has a lower
tone than the violin. Those are
pretty much the only differences.

       So, I didn’t plan on an informational post, I planned on a musical post. But violas and violins are musical instruments.
Here is a piece that I played with a string orchestra during the summer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB0raw6J53Y
Well, I think this post is coming to a close. Thanks to Hermione who picked my blog button as her button and let me have a guest post.
Without further ado, I’ll leave you with the Lord of the Rings in 99 seconds:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FPxYDGfniM
~Destiny Skye <3

When It Ends

I get a bit hysterical when I finish reading the last book of a series. The inspiration for this post struck after finish *sniff* The Mother Daughter Book Club series. Oh, I cried...
I do some pretty strange things when an event like this occurs. It's always so painful. Not that this helps the pain--it's really just all of my emotions being let out. And here it goes...
First, I reread the last sentence. Then the first sentence. Then the last again. After that, I clutch the book to my chest and sob. This usually lasts about 20 minutes, then it turns into silent tears, then mere sniffling, making this part last about 30 minutes (Harry Potter was an exception--I swear it was over an hour.)
Next, I begin yelling and demanding the next book (I'm still not quite aware that there isn't one) at whoever has the misfortune of being closest to me. Poor them. Finally, I reread the series, attempt (but usually fail) to face the fact that the series has ended, and wander mindlessly around the neighborhood. The time when that wears off can vary.
Now that you've finished this post, I'm sure you will all experience these symptoms. Good luck keeping them under control.
Au revoir!
~Hermione

My LIfe is Over. I am Dead Now.

askljfvxccuk64essagfsahtgszghgsasafdsghlkulo,kjre

(PS: Sorry it'sbackwards. hgirqhlewjakfw.kdqEPHOWBIQRA)

Tsk, Tsk, Tsk...

[Ow! Stop poking me with your sword!]
Ahem. Sorry, I was just being attacked by [ow! I mean it!] one of Seana's invisible teddies, whom you may have seen (or rather not seen) running around on her blog.
What was Seana's invisible teddy doing here? Why it was delivering...
A GUEST POST *dun, dun, dun....*!
As you may or may not know, Seana came tied with Destiny Skye in my fabulous contest. The prize? Her very own guest post!!! But before I begin...
Seana,
There is an invisible teddy that appears to have escaped from your blog and is now running loose around mine. Please come and get it as soon as possible, as I do not know how many more sword pokes *wince* I can take.
Thank you,
Hermione
Alrighty then, let's get this show on the road.
Ladies and gentlemen...
It is with great pride I present...
The (tied) winner of the 2012 first ever Everything Hermione contest...
SEANA J VIXEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*APPLAUSE*
*LOUD CHEERING*
*I GET POKED WITH THE INVISIBLE TEDDY'S SWORD AGAIN*

I'm a writer. This means I take caffeine and turn it into a form of entertainment that people stare and giggle at.

It's intimidating, I admit that. Other people are reading this outside of the blogosphere I call home. Reading. Pressing their noses against the computer screen and reading every little thing I have to say, wiping their noses occasionally on their sweater sleeves.

Now I've always wondered where people come up with bizarre ideas that seem impossible. Yes, let's pluck that man over there and send him up into a freezing atmosphere in a giant puffy suit that looks like the Michelin Man and stick him up on a giant crater-filled rock we call the "moon." Yes, yes. And while we're at it, let's make a movie about an out-of-control ape who captures innocent ladies and practices his rock climbing skills on a building. It's brilliant!

And then I saw an equally odd idea.

You know when you paint your nails, and then scratch your head before they're dry? They end up smudged, aye? I was seeing if there were other solutions to this problem than adding another coat of polish. One website suggested that I either a.) lick my nail, or b.) lick my finger and use that to fix the smudge.

I find this odd.

"Oh, no! My nail polish is smudged! Whatever am I to do?!"

"NEVER FEAR! MY TONGUE IS HERE! *lick lick* All better! *grin*"

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Tongue! You're my hero!"

"Happy to help, citizen!"

First of all, does this actually work? The website claims that the saliva mixes with the paint and acts as a smoothing agent. ...Right. Second of all, if the paint is still wet, wouldn't your tongue get covered in paint? Not exactly sanitary, is it? And if you use your finger, you WILL end up with a fingerprint on your nail. I speak from experience. Do not doubt my expertise in the enterprise.

Although, I do wonder if the person who came up with that tip was a bit scrambled in their attic. Too much exposure to garden gnomes can do this to a person.

So will you try licking your nails next time they smudge? Or are you like me and think that you'd rather stick another coat on there than go for the drool-all-over-the-place attempt?

Thanks again, Hermione. (:

Cheers,

<3 Seana

And Here We Are...

It's done.
Over.
Finished.
Complete.
The first contest in Everything Hermione history has drawn to an end.
And here we are.
You and me.
Waiting for the winner's name to be announced.
Or perhaps, you were so annoyed with all of my rambling, that you skipped ahead. to see who the winner was.
If you did not, however, skip ahead, then you will know about...
3rd place!!!
In third place is Mars, with this awesome entry. Great job, Mars!

In second place, we have the lovely July, with her applause worthy entry. Thank you, July, for submitting this fabulous entry!

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...*drum roll*...
WAIT! STOP! STOP!
It seems, my dear readers, we have...
A tie.
Do you know what this means?
Do you know what this means?!
IT MEANS DESTINY SKYE AND SEANA J VIXEN ARE EACH DOING A GUEST POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know what you're thinking: "But, Hermione, which will you use for your blog button?" Well, after a very intense "eenie, meenie, miney, mo," The result was...
*drum roll again*
DESTINY SKYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But, since I also loved Seana's so much, I decided to award her the prize of a guest post as well. Here is her button:

Just...Harry's face...I can't...oh my...
Thank you to all who entered! Seana and Destiny, please send me your posts--at anytime, about anything or anyone!
This concludes the first Everything Hermione Contest! Thank you for making this so fun! I hope to do more in the future.
~Hermione
Edited in: Thank you, Destiny Skye, for also helping me add pictures! It's finally fixed! Hurray!

I Have Way Too Much Energy for a Monday...

It's true.
I'm bouncing of walls, dancing on the ceiling, and doing every other crazy thing that I can't really do.
Why am I so excited, you ask? Well, not only does my contest ends tonight at midnight, but...
I JUST SAW WICKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For those of you who don't know, Wicked is a musical based loosely of the novel by Gregory Maguire. The musical tells the story of Elphaba, a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West, and G(a)linda, a.k.a. the Good Witch.
It.
Was.
Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The songs, the costumes, the performance, everything was perfect. I literally started tearing up at the end of Act 1 it was that good!
I know this is short but it's time to wrap this up! I have to go examine the contest entries but don't worry! You have until midnight tonight to submit any last minute entries!!!
Until next time,
Hermione

Contest Update!!!

Hey, guys, this is just a quick little reminder about the contest. To review the info click here.
Anyway, I have already gotten quite a lot of entries, which is great because truthfully, I was barely expecting any! So thank you, everyone, and remember--the deadline is October 15th!!! That's right, this Monday!!! Keep in mind the fabulous prize of a guest post.
Regarding the Guest Post
If you are the winner, I have a couple Everything Hermione laws to be followed. These rules also apply for commenting:

• Absolutely no profanity. Sorry if that sounds too strict, but we must be mindful of young readers!
• Please no...how shall I out this..."adult content." Again, young readers!
• For the winner of the guest post: if you let a bad word slip out somewhere, I shall send the post back to you, asking you to change it. If you do, it will be posted!
• I prefer not to discuss politics. I'm just not a very political person, I guess you could say, and...yeah. I'd rather not talk about politics.

That's pretty much it! These rules are fairly basic, so I hope I didn't overwhelm you too much :P.
Good luck! Contest ends at midnight on the 15th!
~Hermione

Poll Announcement

Are--are we on?
Oh, okay.
Go-o-o-od afternoon Everything Hermione followers! Today on Everything Hermione, we have a special announcement.
Ahem.
*cough*A-hem-hem-hem *splutter*
Sorry. I just choked on my gum (which is peppermint flavored, although I'm not sure why I just told you that).
Alrighty, now that that gum is out of my throat, back to the special announcement (no, it is not about the blog button contest--but all entries due Monday!)
Here on EH (urgh, that is not a good acronym), I like to know what you want to hear from me.
That's right, I'm not self-centered.
Anyway, I don't want to bore you blogging about the color of my socks, or the length of a leaf I found, or whatever. I want to blog about what you would like to hear. So I have started a poll on the sidebar of my blog. Here is what you may choose from:
Choice #1: Books/Writing (Reviews, recommendations, story excerpts, writing tips, etc.)
Choice #2: Music (Bands, songs, plays (I'm seeing Wicked this Sunday!!!), etc.)
Choice #3: School (My electives, good classes, bad classes, etc.)
Choice #4: Activities (Art class, improv (hasn't started yet but I'm so excited for it!), voice/piano, saxophone, etc.)
Choice #5: Movies (Things I've seen recently, old favorites, etc.)
These will all be in the poll.
But before you vote, I want you to know,
THIS WILL NOT AFFECT WHAT MY BLOG IS ABOUT!!!
It will still be Everything Hermione, but I will post about the top two (maybe three) things you voted for just a wee bit more. And, they will each have a long post dedicated to that section.
So go on! Vote! And I'll see you next tim on...
Everything Hermione!

I Just...Oh My Gosh

Favorite. Picture. Ever.

 

Contest!!!

Yes! I am indeed doing a contest, as you most likely figured out from the title of this post.

As you may have noticed, I have my temporary blog button on the sidebar of my blog :P. It is temporary because this contest is to see...

WHO CAN CREATE THE BEST BLOG BUTTON FOR EVERYTHING HERMIONE!!!

I'm REALLY excited about this, and I hope to receive as many entries as possible! Here are the rules:

1. Your blog button must have my blog title on it.
2. Anyone can enter.
3. You are allowed to make up to 3 buttons per person.
4. You must send your blog button in to me by October 15th, but I might extend it to receive more entries.
5. Creativity counts!
6. Send your blog button to hermionegranger2121@gmail.com

But wait, there's more!

The grand prize is...

A FABULOUS GUEST POST!!!

Second and third place will have their blog buttons posted but not used, and will recieve an honorable mention on my blog xD.

Here are some things you should know about me:

• I love any shade of blue or purple.
• I love paint splatters xD.
• Any cool fonts are great.
• Adding a quote (specifically from Harry Potter or by J.K. Rowling) is AWESOME!
• I love fallen leaves of different colors.
• Music is my passion, so throwing in some notes around there is good.

Using those tips are optional. 

Any questions? Email me at hermionegranger2121@gmail.com, or comment below!

Good luck!

~Hermione

Feel Free to Hate Me as Much as You Would Like

I apologize for the delay in posts. If you would like to file a complaint, please wait until the program has ended. Thank you, and enjoy the post.
In my life, I have often wondered if--ahem, you in the third row? Yes, with the afro? Turn off that phone, please! Thank you.
Anyway, I have of--what did I just say about that phone?!
Ahem. Where was I? Ah, yes. In my--that's it! Security!
Hmph. Now that that's taken care of, I completely forgot what I was going to say. Darn that youth, with his pants to low and his hat on backwards.
Allright, well, I've seen this on several blogs, those of which belong to July, Lily, Seana, Hilda, and Emma, so I decided to give it a try as well.

If I were a gemstone, I'd be an aquamarine.

If I were a scent, I'd be the crisp smell of Autumn air...with a hint of peppermint :).

If I were a pair of shoes, I'd be a comfortable pair of sneakers.

If I were the weather, I'd be in the low sixties with a light breeze. 

If I were a facial expression, I'd be that innocent face you make when you're actually quite guilty.

If I were a car, I'd be a cherry red VW bug.

If I were a time of day, I'd be 10 pm.

If I were a month, I'd be October.

If I were a place, I'd be Hogwarts :).

If I were a liquid, I'd be water.

If I were a taste, I'd be flavorful and different, with a shocking after-taste...in a good way.

If I were a sea animal, I'd be a fuzzy wittle seal. 

If I were a food, I'd be a fruit salad.

If I were a colour, I'd be a dark, midnight blue, with silver swirls. Technically not a color, but what the heck :).

If I were a musical instrument, I'd be a piano.

If I were a flower, I'd be an orchid.

If I were a song,  I'd be the song "Status Quo" by Darren Criss. It's all about being different--that's me ;).

If I were a planet,  I'd be Neptune.

If I were an object, I'd be a book of music from all sorts of different musicals.

If I were a fruit,  I'd be a pomegranate 

If I were a sound, I'd be the sound of rain.

If I were a day of the week, I'd be Friday or Thursday.

Well that was fun! If any of you wish to do this, DO IT. JUST DO IT. I COMMAND YOU TO DO IT!
Erm...sorry about that. Next order of business: My foot hurts. Final order of business: I will be holding a blog button contest! The one to the on my sidebar is temporary, and I'd like something better. My next post will contain the information, so stay tuned!
Until then,
Hermione 

And the rain rain rain came down down down...

An Ode to The Rain

Rain

It's wet
That is all

Beautiful, wasn't it? My poetry is known to bring people to tears. Anyway, I LOVE it when it pours. Especially in the Fall. It's just...I love it. Every time it pours, I sing that Winnie the Pooh song: "And the rain rain rain came down down down in rushing, rising, riv'lets." *Sigh....* Good times, good times.
Anyway, as amazing as both Winnie the pooh and the rain are, that is not our subject for today. I have something serious I would like to discuss.
...

...

...

I completely forgot what I was going to write. Darn. Anyway, if it was a serious topic, from me this would have been, "Purple Aliens landed in my yard demanding banana shaped balloons. What color do you think they'd like?" or something like that. Moving on, I would like to discuss my two favorite articles of clothing: hats and masks.
I mean, come on; they're are seriously awesome. Take a look at some pictures I found on Google Images. Some of theses are just so....amazing (I avoided ones with mannequins because, frankly, I find them disturbing):




And now for masks!

And, finally...

Sorry, could't resist.
Well, I really have to go, so...
I bid thee farewell!
Until we meet again!
Au revoir!
Goodbye!

Cryday Friday :'(

Yes, I know it's not Friday, but I had already done my Friday post, and yesterday I was typing up a guest post for Seana (her name's the link to her blog) that I still haven't finished :P. Sorry, Seana, I'll have it either today or tomorrow, I promise! 
Anyway, you're probably wondering why Friday was a cry day. if you are not wondering, then too bad, because I am going to tell you anyway.
I finished reading Marley and Me.
*Post contains spoilers*
A few years ago, this movie was playing on an airplane. I didn't watch it, but my dad did. And when I looked over at him, my dad was crying.
I can't believe I picked it up out of the library to read in study hall! But I did. I am so stupid.
Anyway, I loved---WHOA!!!!!!!!! STOP!!!!! STOP!!!!!!!!! RANDOM HARRY POTTER QUOTE THAT I DIDN'T THINK I REMEMBERED POPPED INTO MY HEAD!!! "Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and above all, those who live without love." --Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Sheesh, how did I remember that? I'll have to add it to my sidebar later. And now, back to the post.
As I was saying, before that thought rudely interrupted me, I loved this book. As much as Harry Potter? No. But I still loved it. The problem with reading it during study hall, though, was because I cried so hard when the put Marley to sleep :'(. And then, I cried even harder because it made me think of my 14 year old dog who, thank goodness, is still alive and pretty healthy.
Although this wasn't really supposed to be a book review, I'll tell you a little about it:
John Grogan had the perfect dog as a child. Shaun, the dog, was loyal, obediant, and had every quality you could ever want in a dog. Shaun had set the bar pretty high.
And then came Marley. With paws too big for his body and a knack for getting into trouble, Marley is not exactly the dream dog. He's so much more...
Rating: I'd give this book a 4.5 out of 5. I couldn't give it a 5 because it wasn't really perfect (especially when he talked about going through Marley's poop to get a necklace), but it was really good! I would recommend it to all you dog lovers out there. Even if you aren't a dog lover, I would still recommend it :D.
Before I sign off, I just want to let y'all know that I'm trying to get into the habit of a post at least every other day. I really want to post more, but I'm always forgetting, or I'm too busy :(. So, keep checking my blog for a new post!
~Hermione

Where in the World Have I Been?

Hey, guys! I'm so sorry I haven't been posting, so to make up for it, I'm not going to blab on and on about how was busy with this, or wasn't able to that...instead, I decided to do something a little different...mwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Haha.

I've prepared a new award for you all! I call it...

Oh, yeah. I made that. Pretty good, right? LOL, sorry, it's the first time I've ever made something like that, and I'm pretty proud of it :D. Anyway, here's how the award works:

Rules

1. This award, if you choose to accept it, must be awarded to all followers...and then whoever else you want!

2. You must answer all the questions!

3. That's about it!

Questions

1. If you could meet someone (a real person, mind you) from the past, present, or future, who would it be?

My answer is a little strange at first: myself. BUT I would like to see myself through someone else's eyes.

2. What do you want to be when you grow up?

A drama teacher.

3. If you were trapped inside your favorite TV show, what would you do?

Well, since my favorite TV show is the Twilight Zone...I guess I would run around screaming "HELP! HELP! I'M STUCK IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" With way to many exclamation points, too :P. 

4. You come across a unicorn an a koala. You can only keep one. Which would it be?

Although I'm slightly afraid of it, the unicorn! I'd just steal a koala from the zoo :D.

5. What would you do if you met your favorite actor/actress on the street?

I don't know...probably ask them for their autograph, take a picture, hug them and run away.

6. Which number is your favorite, and which is your least favorite?

My favorite number is 1998* (but only said nineteen ninety-eight-like the year), and my least favorite number is 4.

7. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

The world may never know...

8. If you could go back in time (past only) to any time period, which would it be, and why?

I would travel back t the year my parents were in high school, so could see them when they were kids.

9. Is there a certain follower you would like to thank?

Erm...this is hard because they're all so great, but probably July for being my first follower, and Hilda for always commenting! I love you guys!

10. I've decided to stop the questions here. Are you happy about this?

Yes, because now I don't have to come up with any more!

And now I would like to give this award to everyone who wants to do this! Have fun!

~Hermione

P.S. What do you think of my new blog look?

*1998 was the year the first Harry Potter book was published. It is also the year that the last book takes place. "I open at the close"...XD

The Invisible Hermione!

No, sadly, I have still not been able to concoct that invisibility potion I've so often dreamed of. Sigh...however, something else incredible did happen!
Hilda of http://hildald.blogspot.com (previously sophiadesk.blogspot.com), has--and this is awesome--gotten a book published! Congratulations to Hilda for that big accomplishment.
Her book, The Invisible Spy (get my post title now?), is about 14-year-old Sophia. On her birthday, she wishes to be able to spy on people without anybody noticing and, well, I think you can guess from the title what happens next! To learn more about The Invisible Spy, check out these links I stole from Hilda's blog:

1) Paperback book: 

~ To buy it directly from the publisher, click here.

~ To buy it from Amazon.com, click here.

~ If you live in Europe, click here.

~ To buy it from Barnes & Noble online, click here. (It's cheaper here.)

2) To buy the ebook, click here.

Congratulations to Hilda, and be sure to check out her book using the links above!


Onto my next subject: School. Yes, as of the 27th, I too am back at school. *Sigh...* You know, school wouldn't be so bad if they taught you the important things in life like...

• How to balance a banana on your nose while riding a unicycle
• How to cast spells or make potions
• How to survive the Hunger Games with only a feather pillow and a marker
• How to put your foot behind your head

But NO, they're all, stuff-that-helps-you-get-a-job-and-a-life-and-actually-support-a-family and whatnot.
Seriously, school, it's time to face the facts: you're pointless.
Sorry this was such a short post, but I'm running out of time right now and I have to go! I'll post more later!
~Hermione

Harry Potter Tag!

Hello, lovely people! As you know, I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan! So, I was tagged by July A. Emmance (link at the bottom of this post), to answer some questions! Let's do this.
Favorite Book? How do you expect me to choose? They're all so good!
Favorite Film? Deathly Hallows Part 2. Cried...so...hard...
Least Favorite Book? Again, they're all too good!
CAUTION: NEXT QUESTION CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Parts of the movies/books that made you cry? When Dumbledore dies, when Ron watches the locket, the beginning of the last book 'cause it was the last book, the end of the last book, the end of the last movie, when Sirius dies, when Hedwig dies, when the snakes tells Harry about when his parents died, when Fred dies, right before Remus and Tonks die in the movie, when Hagrid thinks Harry died, when Snape dies, and most of all, "The Prince's Tale" :'(.

YOU CAN READ NOW
If you could hook up with any Harry Potter Character, who would it be? DRACO MALFOY!!!!!!!!!
Favorite character? Can't choose...love 'em all...Umbridge was the only character I really hated, though...
Which of the Deathly Hallows would you choose? The invisibility cloak...durr...
Which house would you be in? SSSSSSSSSSSSSSLYTHERIN!!!!
If you could meet any member of the cast who would it be? Alan Rickman, with Tom Felton a close second.
Have you played any of the video games? Yes, at a neighbors house.
Which Quidditch position would you play? Seeker!!!
Were you happy with the ending? Heck yeah!
How much does Harry Potter mean to you? So much...I just...okay, this is going to sound really corny, but Harry Potter changed my life. I've always had a pretty big imagination, but when I started reading Harry Potter, it just opened up a new door to this world beyond the average person's imagination...but I guess you could say that Miss Joanne Kathleen Rowling isn't quite the average person. J.K. Rowling used her wild imagination to create a world that seemed like a reality for the longest time. And it still does.
And now, after that small speech, I am tagging Mars, a fellow Harry Potter fan.
July's blog: http://julyaemmance.blogspot.com
Mars' blog: http://inkdropperr.blogspot.com
Congrats, Mars, and thanks, July!

A Breath Away From Where You Are...

*SPOILER ALERT* This post contains spoilers for the musical/book Les Miserables and a MAJOR spoiler for the movie The Dark Knight Rises. To avoid, do not read the green and pink sections.
I'm a crier. I cry at songs, books, movies, etc. And the title of this post? That's from the Les Mis song, "A Little Fall of Rain." In this song, Eponine, one of the female leads, is dying in the arms of the man she loved but he never loved her in return. Well...he loved her, but like a sister, I guess. Anyway, she's dying and there are two lines I cry at:
1. The line featured above--"A breath away from where you are; I've come home from so far.
2. "You would live a hundred years if I could show you how."
What other songs do I cry at? Well, this may not really be considered an actual song, but it's sung! It's the Epilogue/Finale from Les Mis. Notice a patter? LOL. It's where Jean Valjean, the main character joins Eponine and the other female lead, Fantine, in heaven.
Another song I cry at is the finale from Wicked. Yeah...I cry a lot.
Anyway, I'm still working on 101 Ways to Use Magic to the Fullest. It's a lot more time consuming than you'd think...anyway, I should probably tell you what's been going on over the past few days.
I return to school on the 27th. Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! Yes, I'm SO dreading school. I mean, here's what school has taught me:

• Never eat glue.
• Rulers are not toys
• Colored pencils are way better than crayons.
• But you still can't eat either of those.

You see? I know all of the important things in life. So why do I still need to go to school? I know that school supplies are not food and not toys. My many years of learning have been successful; hopefully, from what they have taught me, I will never have to go to the emergency room because my mouth is glued shut.
In other news, did anyone see The Dark Knight Rises? I did a few weeks ago and I'm a wee bit ashamed to say...I cried. But can you blame me? Batman was exploded in attempt to save Gotham city, and Alfred crying was just too much to take. However, The director left it open to interpretation whether or not Batman was alive. Which. I. Hated. I mean, it was creative and all, but was it real or Alfred's imagination? That killed me. 
Oh, and while we're on the topic of Batman, does anyone know if Barnes and noble sells Marvel or DC comic books? And if not, where I can find some? Ha, that was such a nerdy question. Oh, another thing you might like to know about me: I'm a nerd and proud :D.
Yes, I know, this has been one ranting post. But, at least it's over now and you can all go back to your lives that are probably much more exciting than mine at the moment :P.
Remember: never eat glue and you'll turn out okay!
Ciao,
Hermione

I'm Just Awful

I'm so sorry! I've been just awful about posting...shame on me. I'd like to say I've been busy...but that would be lying. I do have one excuse: Harry Potter. 
Yes, I'm re-re-re-re-rereading the series. It's funny how sometimes I forget how amazing the books are...but, of course, that's MY opinion. I just want to let you know that no matter how strongly I hold that opinion I will NOT make rude remarks like "WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU!!!???" or something like that. I will disagree with you, not argue. (There's a difference, right?)
Anyway, I have recently realized that with every great book there are flaws. So, I present to you...
THE PROS AND CONS OF HARRY POTTER
For those of you who haven't read the series, this can help you discover if the books is your cup of tea. It certainly was mine. Actually, I don't really like tea, so...mug of cocoa? No, no, it's to hot here to think about drinking hot cocoa. WAIT! I'VE GOT IT! Glass of lemonade. Okay, read on and discover if this is your glass of lemonade. I like that, people should say it rather than cup of tea, don't you think? Oh, right, the post.

Pros

• The characters are practically alive.
• It's as though you have entered the story yourself.
• The words come alive and paint a picture in your mind.
• It's not a book meant exactly for humor, but you find yourself laughing hysterically at some parts.
• You also might find yourself crying at others.
• J.K. Rowling was able to put the characters' emotions into you.
• You think you know a character...but then you discover there's so much more *ahem* *cough* Snape.
• J.K. Rowling wrote Gilderoy Lockhart based on someone she knew... I find that highly amusing for some strange reason.
• The detail is simple yet i gives a clear picture in your mind.
• I just HAD to choose a Harry Potter names as my pen name!
• The names...let's just take a moment and think of how creative the names are: Hermione Granger,  Vernon Dursley, Dudley Dursley, Albus Dumbledore (Dumbledore means Bumblebee in old English), Minerva McGonagall, Neville Longbottom (Longbottom...I just...oh my gosh...), Pavarti and Padma Patil, Severus Snape...I could go on and on!
• I have so many more reasons, but not a lot of time!

I'm sorry, this would be an EXTREMELY long post if I continued, so I had to stop.

Cons

• 7th book: Why are they camping so much?
• Harry gets a little aggressive in the 5th book...it's kind of scary.
• You get really attached to a character...and BAM! Just like that, they're dead.
• James...such a jerk...I just hate him...so much. Except I love him 'cause he's Harry's dad. I'm complicated.
•  Seriously, what is up with all the camping in the 7th book?
• That's it.

I want to here YOUR opinion on Harry Potter. Do you like it? Why or why not? Was it your cup of--I mean, glass of lemonade? Please none of that "EVERYONE WHO LIKES HARRY POTTER IS STUPID, EVERYONE WHO HATES IT IS SMART," or vice versa.

Until next time, when I present...

101 Ways to Use Magic to the Fullest!

The Origin of My Pen Name, and WHY it is Called a Pen Name

Yes, I know; that was a very long post title. But now you all know what I'm going to be talking about, so you can skip this post if you wish, UNLESS you are one of the people who has sent me emails about revealing my pen name. I am going to tell you all about it.

Let's start from the beginning.

In the beginning, there was nothing. Then, an explosion called the Big Bang Theory...no, sorry, too early.

Let's try this again, assuming that the Universe was magically created somehow.

Anyway, a girl sat at her computer, attempting to begin a blog. However, she lacked one thing:

A pen name.

As the girl sat there, considering different names to use to disguise her real ones, her eyes fell upon a Harry Potter book.

Struck with inspiration, the girl flicked through the book...

Okay, you know what? Let's just skip that. I chose Hermione after Hermione Granger, as some of you may know. Others who haven't read the books* are probably unaware of who she is, but never mind that.

Several months later, the girl had received two or three emails asking what her real name was. For no apparent reason at all, just curiosity. Therefore, she decided to make this post, explaining why she couldn't reveal her real name.

And now, here we are, and I am making this post, explaining why I can't reveal my pen name.

When someone has a pen name, it is so that they don't have to reveal their real name. A pen name is what you use when you write/blog something for the world to see--i is, of course, entirely optional. Anyway, I used a pen name to cover up for my real name, so that it wouldn't have to be revealed. So, by revealing my real name, that would be completely defying the purpose of a pen name

So please, don't ask me about my real name again.

TTFN!!! (Comment if you know what this stands for and what awesomely awesome character says it!)

Hermione

*READ THEM NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm Very, Very Late...

On June 29, I was nominated by (again) Seana J. Vixen, a.k.a The Totally Insane Writer for...The One Lovely Blog Award--or rather, I have met an untimely "death by a mutant toaster gone haywire."  It is now July 15, and I still haven't posted. So, I'm going to do this quick and get it over with (I don't like the work, but I do love to brag that I've won something :D).
Okay. Let's do this!
Rules:
1. You have to thank the person who nominated you.
2. You have to tell 7 things about yourself.          <But I just told 10!
3. You have to nominate 15 blogs.                      <Really? 15?!
And we begin.
Thank you Seana. As I said above, I do like to brag that I've won something! So, thanks again to Seana...although I guess that the mutant toaster gone haywire has killed me by now...
And now the facts (I will try to do different ones than from the previous award).
1. I don't know what to write.
2. I still don't know what to write.
3. Thinking about what to write...
4. Still thinking about what to write...
5. Am I really this boring?
6. Sometimes, I randomly get an idea, then forget it as quickly as it came.
7. Now is one of those times.
Well! That was easy!
And now the 15 blogs.
Hannah the Banana
Bookworm/Future Author
inkdropperr
July A. Emmance
The Totally Insane Writer (It never said I couldn't...;D)
The Creative Clique
Everything Hermione! (Again, it never said I couldn't...;D)
Writer and Bookworm
Books, Books Everywhere
Blog of a Homeschooler
Sophia's Desk.
Jenny's Blog
I Waste So Much Time
Okay, so I didn't nominate 15, neither did Seana! So...shhh! 
I'll be posting more later, just needed to get caught up on everything!
Until then, apply your sparkles every night before going to bed, and you won't be eaten by a unicorn. At least, if it's on a sparkle-free diet.

Oh, Goody!

I have been nominated for the Liebster Blog Award! Hurray!
Of course, there has to be rules so...here they are!
1. Each blogger awarded must post 10 facts about themselves.
2. Each blogger must post answers to the 10 questions their tagger left for them.
3. Each blogger awarded must tag 10 other bloggers.
4. Each blogger awarded must then set 10 questions for all the other bloggers that they tagged.
5. You may not tag the person that tagged you.
From this I have concluded that...this person loves the number 10.
All right, let's do this!
I would first like to start off by thanking Miss Seana J. Vixen--she is the one who tagged me. And now, on to the 10 facts!
1. My favorite color is sparkle.
2. I LOVE to bike!
3. My favorite teletubby is Po.
4. I detest the number 4. It's always seemed rather stuck up to me.
5. If I were a unicorn, I would be white with silver hair, and covered in sparkles.
6. I feel rather guilty, saying how I detest the number 4 on fact number 4. Ah, well. I suppose that's what it gets for being so stuck up.
7. My favorite number is 21. I'm not quite sure why, though...
8. My favorite song is Status Quo, which I'm guessing most of you (except for Zozomagozo) have heard of.
9. I am very happy right now because I'm almost to ten.
10. I have no idea what to put here.
Okay...on to answering the questions!
1. If you could enter the world of your favorite book, which book would you pick?
Easy. Harry Potter. Next!
2. If I told you a rampaging unicorn was coming your way, what would you do?
Figure Voldemort was chasing it, move aside and scream "ALL RIGHT, VOLDY, COME GET SOME!"
3. What do you do for fun?
Watch StarKid, listen to StarKid, read, draw, read, bike, read, read, read.
4. Who do you consider to be your role model?
Team StarKid.
5. What is your favorite mythical creature?
A unisus (cross between a unicorn and a pegasus).
6. Do you have favorite place you like to read, write, or do whatever it is you do?
Hmm...no, not really. I usually just do whatever it is I do (even I'm not quite sure what I do) wherever I currently am.
7. Do you enjoy cooking, or is it a disaster zone when you cook?
I enjoy cooking, and it was only a disaster zone when I tried to make pancakes for my mom on Mother's day and forgot to use cooking spray on the pan...
8. What is the most frightening dream you've had?
Okay, so I was emailing Joe Walker (of StarKid) and I was like "OMG!!! I'M SUCH A BIG FAN!!! I LOVE YOUR WORK!!!" and he wrote back "thanks, but I'm quitting StarKid." That was terrifying.
9. If you had just one day to live, what would you do?
I'm going to assume that I could do anything. Fly to Chicago and meet the StarKids, meet J.K. Rowling, run around with no pants screaming "I CAN'T AFFORD PANTS! MY COSTUME HAS TO BE AERODYNAMICALLY PERFECT!!!" and spend my last hour with my dog. Yep. That sounds like a pretty good day to me.
10.  I'd wager you're sick of answering these questions by now. What would you rather be doing?
Running around with no pants screaming "I CAN'T AFFORD PANTS! MY COSTUME HAS TO BE AERODYNAMICALLY PERFECT!!!" Or meeting StarKid. Whichever :D.
And now, since this thing will never end, onto the nominees. Yes, I know most of them were nominated by Seana, but she pretty much stole all the blogs I was going to use :(. Anyway...
1. Bookworm/Future Author
2. July A. Emmance
3. Hannah the Banana
4. Writer and Bookworm
5. Jenny Blog
6. Sophia's Desk
7. Blog of a Homeschooler
8. Books, Books Everywhere
9. The Creative Clique (yes, I know Seana contributes to this blog, but let's just keep our mouths shut and no harm done!)
10. Everything Hermione! (Hey, it never said I couldn't nominate myself!)
And finally, the questions:
1. Can you afford pants? Or does your costume have to be aerodynamically perfect?
2. If you had a choice between one million dollars or for your greatest wish to come true, which would it be?
3. What is your greatest fear?
4. What do you want to be when you grow up?
5. There are 8 dogs and 6 cats on a bus. Which is driving, and which is wearing the sombrero?
6. Did the last question make any sense?
7. Okay, the tabby was driving and the terrier was wearing the sombrero. Do you find this logical?
8. What is your favorite play/musical? If you aren't sure, then how about your favorite movie?
9. If you could meet three people--any people, a book character, superhero, whatever--who would they be?
10. I'm so glad this is the last question! Are you?
Done! Hurray!