The World of Malcolm Chang

Oh no...

Wheel of Time is stealing my soul! These books are so long and the series is long in of itself. I can't put them down! The story is just so well thought out and the world is so interesting. It makes me wonder if worlds like this exist in another dimension or something and for some reason these authors can see through time and can see these worlds which is why they write about them. That would be so neat.

There is not enough hours in the day. I have a test in potions to study for but I'm in such a good part in my book. I want to know what will happen! Maybe I'll read one more chapter then I'll study.

I went for a walk today and well, it's sort of a long story but I want to dye my hair. I want to be a blond. My dark tresses just are so boring and not nearly as manly as blond hair is make me blend in. I can't decide if I want to transfigure it or buy a potion or what but it will happen. I told mum that and she said didn't think that it was a good idea. This is why I'll do it in Hogwarts when she is far away. I just hope Maddie doesn't tell on me. But I still want blond hair. And blue eyes. And to be six feet tall

Anyways, I've been thinking a bit about religion since a topic came out in my last entry. There are so many out there to choose from. I liked the idea of Buddhism for a while until I heard that eventually, after many lives, you lose your individuality and become nothing and everything. I tried to think that would be like and it promptly scared me and I haven't thought about it much later. I read the Bible (which the Old Testament is pretty much the Torah) so I know a bit about the Abrahamic Traditions (although admittedly, I don't know much about Islam).

Randomly, if you take out the religious context of the Bible, they're really fun stories. Some are really weird though. After Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's daughters sleep with him for instance after getting him really drunk. That is just very... ick. Well, they won't have to worry about their mother getting jealous since she got turned into a pillar of salt. But the story of Moses is wonderful. I don't think the Bible really does it justice. I mean, Moses lived with the Egyptians... he probably saw the Pharaoh as a brother. How much inner turmoil he must have gone through to find out his true heritage? I suppose it would be like someone who was raised in a pure-blood family and they suddenly found out they were muggle born. Would you abandon your blood or your family?

Okay, I got slightly off topic. Religion. I do not think I could be Christian or Jewish. While Jesus was a cool hero, the fact that it is broken down to whether you accept that he died for your sins or not seems rather simple. Shouldn't eternal salvation be difficult? I like to think though, since Jesus spoke in parables that that whole concept is just that. If someone saved your life by taking his own, would you waste your life or would you try to live your life better to honor that someone? Regardless, I have a hard time buying into one God, especially a God who was very wrathful to start with then sort of mellowed out with age. How could there be ONE god when the world and universe is so big?

I like the idea of the Pagan Gods better like Greek/Roman or Norse or Celtic or even Shinto. The gods in those mythologies seem real because they're almost human. It is nature personified. I like to think that they're all the same deities they just weird different hats. Freya is really Athena and Bridget. Has anyone noticed how most mythologies overlap? In Celtic Mythology, you have the famous hero Fionn MacCumhail whose story overlaps themes with Zeus and the Bible. Fionn's mother sent him to be raised by two women to keep him sheltered because Fionn's father wanted him to die. This is like Rhea who sent Zeus to be raised by Nymphs because Cronos kept on eating his kids. Then, Fionn ended up training with Fergius whose life ambition was to capture the salmon of knowledge from the River Shannon. When he finally caught it, he asked Fionn to prepare it for him to eat. Fionn cuts his thumb and sucking it, it had Salmon juice on it so he was the first to eat it and gained knowledge of everything. There is the garden of eden story all over again. Fergius sends Fionn out to the world for he knows everything. Adam and Eve get expelled out into the world. This is something I never understood. Why does God punish Adam and Eve for gaining knowledge? Knowledge is a GOOD thing.

There are many more cross references. Either there are themes we all recognize as moral or there is ONE pantheon of Gods going from country to country messing around.

Or they could be wizards. I wonder if Jesus was a wizard. If he was, he is the biggest con artist in history.

I think I should just be agnostic.

I'm trying to sort through all my books to see which ones I want to take with me. I know I usually end up owling mum for some during the year. It got to the point I have to send some back in order for her to send me some. It is always so hard to decide. I mean, if I send back one book, that is usually the one I want to read again! It doesn't help I acquired a lot of books over the summer. I found a wonderful used bookstore right near St. Andrew's. I this whole series by a muggle named Robert Jordon. The bookseller highly recommended it to me. He said if I liked high fantasy I would like this. He sold me the whole series for 15 quid. I've made through the first three books and they're tomes onto themselves! I've also picked up more Piers Anthony and Terry Pratchett at this bookstore. He gives me good deals. I think I have enough reading materials to last me through Christmas. Muggle writers have such great imaginations.

I walked past Arthur's Seat and couldn't help but be fascinated by it. I always have been. It's hard to believe that is just an extinct volcano. I would like to think an evil wizard had his secret lair inside the center of it. Then a band of Scottish wizards destroyed it causing the top to blow up into the air and land somewhere like in Stirling. Sometimes hearing where something actually came from ruins it all. I like mythology's explanation to why things are the way they are than Science. It takes the magic out of it.

It's like my father. I'm sure he's probably some boring guy but I like to think he's someone who's highly important. Like perhaps he is a muggle secret agent like in Ian Fleming novels. That is why he couldn't be with my mum. Or maybe he's a highly influential politician. Or maybe he is a Prince of a small country like Monaco. Or perhaps he's a Lord and has his own castle in France. It is much more fun to imagine the possibilities than to know the truth. I don't think I want to know who my dad is. It is like finding out Arthur's Seat is just an extinct volcano, not all the stories you came up with as a kid.

School is starting up soon. I will be a fourth year. I'm not looking forward to potions. Everything else, bring it on.