HARRY POTTER SYNDROME

Here you have some of the most important signs that you or someone may be suffering from "Harry Potter Syndrome":

1. You mutter Latin words under your breath.

2. You hold your broom and run around the garden trying to fly.

3. At a train station, you try to find the wall between platform nine and ten.

4. You try to turn your brother/sister into a frog.

5. You insult people by calling them "mudbloods" or stupid "muggles".

6. You call your least favourite teacher Snape.

7. You read a Harry Potter book every day.

8. You have weird hair days when your hair is really messy.

9. You buy Harry Potter products, such as shampoo or toothpaste.

10. You make a magic wand and add it to your collection of Harry Potter stuff.

11. You call your girlfriend Hermione when her real name is Betsy.

12. You start to wear a robe.

13. You talk with a posh British accent.

14. You walk around your house all day under a blanket or a cloak, claiming that nobody can see you.

15. You read the entire Harry Potter series backwards.

16. There is a burst of smoke every time you enter the room.

17. You are convinced you can turn lead into gold.

18. You spend a lot of time alone in your room playing with your magic wand.

In my case, sign 7 is true! Since last summer, I've been reading all Harry Potter's books. Now I've just started the fourth one: "The Goblet of fire", which we will be able to see in cinemas next December! I'll try to finish the book first, but there're nearly 800 pages awaiting!

I like owls, and you?

Perhaps by influence of my summer readings (I'm reading all Harry Potter's books), I find some interest in owls. Throughout history, they have been present in many cultures and therefore they've symbolized many different things: dread, knowledge, wisdom, death... From North American Cherokees to Russia, going through Mexico and Australia, owls have played diverse and fascinating roles in myths and legends.

I hope you'll like reading some of them:

Australia: Aborigines believe bats represent the souls of men and Owls the souls of women. Owls are therefore sacred, because your sister is an Owl - and the Owl is your sister.

Celtic: the Owl was a sign of the underworld.

Ireland: An Owl that enters the house must be killed at once, for if it flies away it will take the luck of the house with it.

Malaya: Owls eat new-born babies.

Samoa: the people are descended from an Owl.

Shetland Isles: a cow will give bloody milk if scared by an Owl.

Siberia: the Owl is a helpful spirit.

Sumeria: The goddess of death, Lilith, was attended by Owls.

Transylvania: farmers used to scare away Owls by walking round their fields naked.

Wales: an Owl heard among houses means an unmarried girl has lost her virginity.If a woman is pregnant and she alone hears an owl hoot outside her house at night then her child will be blessed.