Easy Comparison: HP vs. LotR

It's such an easy and obvious comparison, I'm sure there are those who have sparked discussions or written who essays on the comparisons between the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings series.  But since I'm so new to both (having just read HP for the first time last year (4 times since that first) and I'm only currently reading LotR--I'm on The Fellowship of the Ring), I don't know if anyone has done the comparisons.....I know I can do some research on it--and I fully intend to do so--but I thought I'd go ahead and throw it out there and see what your comments are.....

• I'm already seeing a lot of similarities between Frodo and Harry
• And don't even get me started on the friendship themes within both stories. (*I must admit that this is my favorite part of HP and it's quickly becoming the most endearing part of LotR for me, too.)
• The Black Riders and Dementors
• Sauren and Voldemort---Aragorn keeps telling Frodo not to say anything having to do with Sauren, including the WHERE (Mordor) and of course we all know that Voldemort is called from the very beginning "he who must not be named"
• New/different words made up that have become a part of our natural, every-day vocabulary
• Snape & Aragorn--think about it---it's there!
• The one that's so obvious, I hate to even mention it:  Gandalf & Dumbledore
• Where Frodo and many of his friends, including the dwarves, are short (hobbits), Harry has as a very tall friend, Hagrid--this one's a bit of a stretch, but it's only the beginnings of a thought....I haven't fully processed this one (or any of these, for that matter, just this one less than the others)
• Not just made-up vocabulary, but new and exciting characters, including animals
• and just think of the fans....!!!!  Not just for the books, but for the movies, too!!!  

These are just a few of the comparisons that have come to me quickly, but I know there are many more!  What are comparisons you've noticed?  And, if you know of sources that discuss comparisons between the two, can you share?  (BTW:  I don't do Wikipedia for serious research as I'd like to do for this topic, so please don't go there.  Yes, I look at Wikipedia; of course I do.  It's just that when I'm serious about a subject, I try to avoid such an "open" and obvious web site.)  I'd like to explore this topic.....believe it or not, I DO love research and this is an awesome topic for me!!!!!!

It's also helping in my enjoyment of the LotR series as I'm reading it!  I keep seeing all these things that are wonderful connections to my other new favorite series of books:  Harry Potter.

Beginning to Enjoy LOTR

I am really getting into The Fellowship of the Ring, finally.  I'm actually having a very hard time putting the book down!  I'm glad.  I was worried that this whole reading experience would be a lot of work for me rather than enjoyment!

Of course, it's very odd that Frodo is starting out on a journey with no known destination or even a true purpose beyond the fact that he can't let the Evil One find him or the Ring.  He knows he has to destroy the Ring, but has no idea whatsoever how to go about doing that.  Even Gandalf is at a loss as to how they need to destroy the Ring.

I know this is all going to come together and that it is actually making me want to read to find out the answers to the REAL questions.  I'm liking it a lot better than I thought I would. 

I really want to see the movie version, too.  I'm trying to wait until I finish reading the book before I watch the movie.  I don't want to ruin any surprises that are in store for me, but at the same time, I know the movies are very well done and will help me see the story a little more effectively.  I feel that I'm doing a decent job seeing the story, but I still really want to see the movies!

Here's hoping the book just gets better and better!!!!  Just so you know, I'm only at the part where Frodo, Sam, and Pippin have left Bags End......so don't ruin it for me if you reply!

Workout Variety

Workout Variety

I am totally TRANSFORMED!!!!

Transformers:  Dark of the Moon is.....awesome!  Amazing!  Fantastic!  Wow!  Great! Wonderful!  I laughed.  I cried.  I stood up.  I sat down.  I stood up some more.  I gasped in horror.  I gasped in wonder and delight.  I gasped in awe.  I sat down.  I stood up some more.  I shouted at the screen. (Yes, in a full theater---I couldn't help it!)  I munched mindlessly on popcorn.  Surprisingly, I didn't throw my popcorn up in the air.  It's a good thing I put the popcorn down.  I had to go to the bathroom, but I refused to leave the room!!!!

At the end of the movie, I stood up and hooted the same way I might if my favorite team won a ball game!!!!  Yes!!!!  Score!!!!!

Go see it!  It IS AMAZING!!!  I did not see it in 3D, and I still enjoyed it TREMENDOUSLY!!!!!!

Only 2 downsides:  1.  Samuel wasn't with me.  I had a wonderful time with Kim, though!!!!  2.  The chick playing his girlfriend.  UGH.  She wore stilettos through the WHOLE thing!  Even when she was running!  What is Michael Bay thinking?!  Why????  And what's with her ginormous lips????  Gross!!!  And Sam says that she's "the ONE"!!!!   NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!  She's NO BETTER than Mikeyla, so WHY????  She creeped me out. 

I realize that I quite possibly just made her more irresistible to the guys, but she's really just a PROP. 

I had NO idea that Patrick Dempsey was in this one!!!  With all the beautiful men, I didn't know who to enjoy looking at the most!!!!

I wish I had more to say, but I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it yet!!!  It's so wonderful and amazing!!!  I can't wait to see it again!  The next time, I'm going to watch the first two just before I go see it.....it won't make it better, but it'll be fun to do it!!!!