Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
Wicked
Wicked is my favorite musical play. There are 19 songs in the whole play. The songs are written by Stephen Schwartz. The story is a prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The main characters are Elphaba (you may know her as “The Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda the Good Witch. The original actors for this play are Idina Menzel (Elphaba) and Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda). The story of Wicked shows what really happened and the “behind the scenes” of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. As the tagline goes “ So much happened before Dorothy dropped in.”
My Opinion on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
As a Potterhead (Harry Potter fan), I’m bound to like anything Harry Potter, right? Well, my opinion on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is not exactly a good or bad opinion. At first, I didn’t like the book because of how it disobeys the rules of Harry Potter. !!!SPOILER ALERT!!! Time Turners don’t work the same way they worked in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Usually, Time Turners are made so that you can’t change anything in the past. Whatever happens, happens and you can’t do anything about it. In The Cursed Child, Time Turners create a parallel universe. Harry Potter teaches you that you can’t change the past. The Cursed Child breaks this rule. Time Turners are just the first problem. Second, Cedric is a HUFFLEPUFF!!! Hufflepuffs are known for having a history of NO bad guys! Just because Cedric was humiliated DOESN’T mean he can just become a Death Eater. Third, since when does is the trolley witch an alien? There’s plenty more to complain about, but there’s some good stuff about the book/ play. I watched the play I can say that the play is really good. The effects are amazing and there were very good choreography for the dance numbers. People say that The Cursed Child is just fanfiction just because of all the problems I stated above. Honestly though, what’s wrong with liking a little fanfiction?
Top 10 Harry Potter Things to do in Universal Studios, CA
10.Drink some Butterbeer
Get a sweet, frothy butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks restaurant or at the butterbeer carts outside in Hogsmeade. You can drink butterbeer hot, cold, or frozen! Butterbeer is perfect in any weather, whether it’s a chilly winter or a humid summer.
9. Go Merchandise Shopping
There are plenty of shops for Harry Potter fans in Hogsmeade. You can shop replicas of magical props or some new Harry Potter merch! Just keep in mind they’re a little expensive.
8. Go to Honeydukes
If you didn’t already know, there are a lot of wizarding treats in the wizarding world. Honeydukes is basically a magical candy shop. From Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, to Chocolate Frogs, Honeydukes sells both wizarding and muggle (non-magic society) candy!
7. Ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
If you’re a thrill-seeking person, you’ll love the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride. This ride is definitely an experience ride. During the ride, you are lifted off the ground, turned on your side and upside-down, all while saving the wizarding world. Warning though: many people have thrown up after this ride.
6.Watch the Hogwarts Night Shows
There are a lot of projector shows at night on Hogwarts castles. The shows are based on the time of year so during Christmas, you can watch a show about the Yule Ball, and during Halloween, you can watch a show about the Dark Arts.
5. Cosplay
If you wanted to be a student at Hogwarts, then you can dress up as a Hogwarts student! They sell house robes in all houses and sizes in good quality. They sell these robes in most of the shops in Hogsmeade. They cost around $125 so make sure to save up your money!
4. Eat at the Three Broomsticks
If the butterbeer didn’t fill you up, then get ready for a full-blown meal at the Three Broomsticks. They sell turkey, ribs, mashed potatoes, salads, and more. They also sell pumpkin juice and pumpkin fizz along with regular soda for your drinks.
3. Visit the Bathroom
Okay, this one might sound a little weird. If you go into the bathrooms at Hogsmeade, then you can hear Moaning Myrtle talking in the stalls. You can hear her all throughout the restroom because her giggling is on speakers!
2. Buy a Wand
Even though Ollivanders is in Diagon Alley, they have an Ollivanders in Hogsmeade. You can experience a wand choosing the wizard or you can just walk into the shop. They sell wands with all types of wand wood. They also sell replicas of character wands so be sure to get a wand of your own and a replica!
1.Cast Some Spells
After you’ve bought an interactive wand, you can go around Hogsmeade and do some magic! Around Hogsmeade, there are certain areas that have sensors so your wand can do something magical! From making a feather float, to stirring a cauldron with no hands, you’ll be able to feel like a true witch or wizard with your interactive wand!
Top 5 Harry Potter Spells and Potions
Expelliarmus
Disarms an opponent
Expecto Patronum
Protects you from Dementors
Felix Felicis (Liquid Luck)
Gives you “Good Luck”
Polyjuice Potion
Disguises you/ makes you look like someone else
Wingardium Leviosa
Makes objects fly
Hogwarts Houses
Gryffindor
Creator: Godric Gryffindor
Colors: Red and Gold
Mascot: Lion
Traits: Bold, Courageous, Brave
Notable Heirlooms: Sword of Gryffindor, The Sorting Hat
Notable Characters: Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Albus Dumbledore
Ravenclaw
Creator: Rowena Ravenclaw
Colors: Blue and Bronze
Mascot: Eagle
Traits: Wise, Intelligent, Curious
Notable Heirlooms: Ravenclaw’s Diadem
Notable Characters: Luna Lovegood, Filius Flitwick
Hufflepuff
Creator: Helga Hufflepuff
Colors: Yellow and Black
Mascot: Badger
Traits: Kind, Loyal, Honest
Noteable Heirlooms: Hufflepuff’s Cup
Notable Characters: Cedric Diggory, Newt Scammander
Slytherin
Creator: Salazar Slytherin
Colors: Green and Silver
Mascot: Snake
Traits: Ambitious, Cunning, Shrewd
Notable Heirlooms: Slytherin’s Locket, Gaunt’s Ring
Notable Characters: Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape, Lord Voldemort (Tom Marvolo Riddle)
How to Play Quidditch
Players of Quidditch: 7
3 Chasers
2 Beaters
1 Keeper
1 Seeker
Quidditch Balls:
1 Quaffle- Red; Size of a Soccer Ball
2 Bludgers- Brown; slightly smaller than a Quaffle; tries to knock players off their broom
1 Golden Snitch- Gold; Size of a Walnut; flies around avoiding capture
How to Play:
The chasers throw around the quaffle and try to make it through one of three hoops at the end of the stadium. Every time a quaffle goes through the hoop, it’s worth 10 points.
Keepers protect their hoops. They block the quaffle when the opposing team tries to score.
Beaters have small bats to try and hit one of the Bludgers to protect their team. They could also try and hit one of the players on the opposing team.
Seekers try to catch the Golden Snitch. When they catch it, the game ends and the Seeker’s team get 150 points.
Introduce Yourself (Example Post)
This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
- Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
- Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
- Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
- What topics do you think you’ll write about?
- Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
- If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.
The Magic Magazine 