Era Ended Mischief Managed

It was decided months, probably years ago that Janine and I would catch the last Harry Potter flick with the devoted on the Thursday evening of its release. Without disappointment  we were treated with a grand finale. My strongest feeling centers around this being the close for another chapter with new and exciting chapters beginning now.

I'm sure there will be other flicks that inspire people to wear robes and carry carved sticks, but the feeling for me isn't around the pomp, it's about the two lifetimes that I have lived since I started following the series.

In 2005 I started to reluctantly watch the series after heaps of mocking by accidentally watching the third movie on DVD. I was quickly able to pick up on the hype and quickly became a part of it myself. I'm left with many great memories in Lynchburg and here in Richmond of meeting with friends and watching this movie. It's not the movie, it's the events wrapped around it that stick out to me.

It's almost like an old song. One that carries a memory that may or may not have anything to do with the song. Oasis comes to mind. Their major release in the 90's came while I was in college and anytime I hear something from them, I think of college.

The Potter movies have done that for me as well. They have encapsulated tiny moments of time that will help me cherish them forever. I'll never forget the great night Janine and I had waiting for the last book to come out at the bookstore. We watched eager crowds stand in line for hours until finally we all got in and grabbed a coveted copy. We used to smoke at the time. It's small things like that which will stay embedded in my memory for a lifetime. It's the little details that help those memories become more sweet.

So this is not so much a ringing endorsement of the movie or series, though both have been very enjoyable, it's a look back over ten years. It's amazing how so much has changed and how much we all have grown. I'm pleased to have been a piece of this personal history. I sat among teenagers last night who's first theater experience with Harry Potter were alongside their parents. It was bittersweet to see them all independent enough to go to the movies on their own but sitting with them were their parents. These movies captured and linked many generations.

That and the 43 million they made last night alone is a stunning achievement. One I'm glad to have been a part of. One many more will enjoy years into the future.

Turntable FM

Innovation is a great thing. It helps us move from our comfort zones and it helps us to learn new things. The web is a great example of seeing good ideas put to work. I recently discovered one of the biggest innovations I think I have ever seen on the net.

Turntable.fm is a music discovery site remixed and remastered. The premise comes from Pandora's internet radio stations. Instead of having an algorithm play songs that align with your preferences, there are endless rooms ready to take on anyone's genre and tastes. The twist is the ability for five people to spin records, if you will, DJ'ing to their audience. The audience then has the power to vote each song up or down by clicking on Lame or Awesome. Over time the DJ's amass points that allow them to unlock new avatars or characters.

This is why the internet was made. This is a site dedicated to maintaining the strong winds of social networking, mixing in great music, and allowing people to discover new artists and learn from people from many different backgrounds. I see endless potential here and I hope they continue to grow.

There are some challenges. It does take a Facebook account to log in. Furthermore you'd have to be friends with someone already invited to get in. That will open up more in time. Also the site has had to limit accessibility to American users. This is how the music industry continues to shoot itself in the foot. It squashes innovation at almost every turn and hopefully they will fix licenses and allow the world to join back in.

Do check it out, find a room, take to the DJ stand, and have fun. This to me is by far the best service introduced this year by far. I'm often in one of the few metal channels so come find me.