Celebrating a Legend ••• 36 Years of Beautiful Damage

 

November Begins ••• Celebrating a legend ••• 36 years of beautiful damage ••• A rockstar shipwreck ••• A glamorous tragedy ••• A shell shocked weird girl turned a hardcore warrior woman ••• God bless the wards I have built around my foolish heart God bless the winds under the sails of my ship wreck God bless the phoenix in me to work my broken wings ••• God bless the goodness in me that fights the demons till my very last breath •••amen ••• Cheers to a life of success, blessings, gratitude, rising from the ashes ••• Cheers, to me ••• Cheers to the legend I have become •••

Fall Rhymery 2022

Fall Visits it's Favorite Prisoner

Fall visits its favorite prisoner -

My heart - an encaged warrior,

Of sorts, an occasional wanderer.

A silent hermit turned bard

To greet a conqueror.

Both sing ballads, both heal the other,

Both are magic, each one a sorcerer.

Tis true, reigns high, their mighty Master

His Will prevails, whomever He honors.

Gorgeous Accident

What meets the eye is Fall

Greets the soul, an ascent.

Colors shatter as wind chills hit,

O! What a gorgeous accident.

Fall's Impasse

For what it seems, tis but a deadlock, a silence.

For what churns beneath is a storm, a gothic romance.

Nothing Charms Like Fall Does

Light the fire pit

Toast some s’mores

Rejoice Fall’s jubilee

So much to adore!

Foggy mornings,

Mild warm afternoons.

Chilly nights,

The heart hums a cozy tunes.

Hello! We meet again, October!

Cheers!

The pumpkin spice!

The apple cider!

Spooky movies in blankets fuzz!

Nothing charms like Fall does!

Crunchy leaves under metal studded boots,

Listen!

Somewhere a tawny owl hoots!

A bard awakens to tell such tales,

Words paint where all color fails.

I’d be healing, from some

Of all that’s damaged!

Carry on dear heart!

“Mischief Managed”

So Fall So Good - It's Been a Beautiful Ride

 

A Childhood Haunt

Hot Cocoa Kind of Evening 

Served with an early holiday movie, Starbucks hot cocoa. As the year draws to an end, a soul warmer is much needed to shock the numb senses. A mundane routine plays like a broken record and desensitizes me so shamelessly. A little indulgence works wonders to lift the mood!

Fall Back •••
Celebrating the loss of an hour with a gorgeous Deathly Hallows wall clock.

Sara and I got one of our rare Starbucks moment to ourselves. It was Hot Chocolate for me and Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappe (cream version) for her. Ah! It was our lunch so we got the pretty purple seasonal owl cake pops and a Pumpkin Scone! ••• Delicacies of Fall We’re still masking so the scene unfolded in my car, Buckbeak. I adore my dash decor! It’s all Harry Potter ••• We sit and reflect on the classic our life’s film reel has been and the masterpiece it’ll be on the road ahead. InshaAllah (God Willing).

Fall Fever Begins. Horror Movies and Chill. Feel the Fall Thrill.

 

Fall has arrived. Muggles will not understand the chill of Pumpkin Juice and the comforts of warm Pumpkin Pasties that come to mind for Potterheads. My Pumpkin Juice magnet has gone missing! I wanted that to be part of the showcase! Darn.

The Adventure Board is up and is boasting a Back to Hogwarts / Welcome Fall vibe to mark the start of the end of year magic. 

For the Back to Hogwarts display I used my postcard from the Wizarding World. Got that at Dervish and Banges. The silicone Hogwarts school bag is actually an earphones case (my earphones are a different model and didn't fit this designed for Apple, so the DIY!). And I couldn't have forgotten the Hogwarts First Years arrival scene magnet where the boats are sailing on the lake. That's a pin from the Wizarding World that I converted to a magnet. A Hogwarts pop socket (bottom left) has also undergone the same magic. 

My Fall mantra is as simple as Ghostface's "Horror Movies and Chill" (that gorgeous enamel pin's from Hot Topic). The wooden crate thingy is from Target Playground. The pin went right through and I was able to button it from behind. 

I picked my pumpkin from Walmart - that cute 'Welcome Fall' decoration with the burlap twine tassel was a win! Walmart has its own section now that works like Target's Playground - festive, seasonal, and low prices good quality decor. 

You've got to pick florals from the Dollar Tree. I picked some exotic Fall leaves that I am plucking out of their bunches and using throughout the Room of Requirements. 

Johnny Depp Wins! "Veritas numquam perit. Truth never perishes."

1st June 2022 #NarcissisticAbuseAwarenessDay I wasn't too hopeful as Johnny Depp's defamation trial verdict was due 3pm EST. I'd been watching live for weeks as he fought to get his life back. My heartbeat was out of control, I'd finished all chores for the day, and was sitting with a cup of Chai, too nauseated to eat. 

Court began WHOOPS! jury was sent off to complete a worksheet of damages they'd forgotten. Heartbeat escalation! Jury walked out! Court break! Live coverage continued! Helicopters were flying overhead, fans crowded outside, and millions had tuned in to the livestream. 

My faith in humanity / justice system was restored as the verdict was read, count by count, holding Heard guilty of defamation. Big shocker! The court of justice and court of public opinion synced in a rare happenstance to side with an iconic entertainer to cleanse his reputation and free him of all slander. It was a first when international publics united on social media to bombard legal sources with key evidence. Johnny's emotionally loaded statement brought tears!

"And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled." 

"From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome. Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me."

"I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that. I am, and have been, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and the colossal support and kindness from around the world. I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation and that those supporting them never give up."

"The best is yet to come, and a new chapter has finally begun.

"Veritas numquam perit. Truth never perishes. "

Disney and WB owe JD a public apology and perhaps his respectful reinstatement as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean and Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts (yes, fans will understand!). It would also be professionally correct to fire Heard from Aquaman 2 considering the same set of rules that applied to JD's dismissal 6 years ago.

The Abbie, Court of Public Opinion, Team Johnny Depp Pt 2

I was very happy that JD's trial was streamed live! The iconic legend from my teenage years was on the stand to take a stand for himself! To break the silence! It was an ace move to show the world how still waters ran deep for Depp and the defense was as shallow as ever. Johnny claimed he didn't care what the verdict would be, he was only there to tell the truth. And this week as the day of verdict draws close, the world already has a verdict. Johnny Depp's innocent.

I saw a let down 58 year old man face a betraying, scamming, 36 year old ex-wife. He faced his own demons from past parental abuse, and drug abuse in the courtroom. It was emotionally disturbing to see him at a loss for words, fumble as he repeated incidents, and smile when defense lawyers insulted him during cross.

Meanwhile, the ex delivered 'the performance of a lifetime' without a hint of tears, dramatic pauses for media publicity, and elaborate accounts of exaggerated, inhuman physical abuse. I had only seen female villains on screen act like this. Such lies! Such nerve! She changed previous testimonies from the UK trial, landing herself at multiple counts of perjury risks having lied under oath. Her witnesses: unauthorized tenants freeloading at Depp's many properties, lying family members and friends, and bluffing medical and legal practitioners, failed to convince the world against Depp's word. Disturbing audio clips, text messages, videos, photographs and medical records were cross examined.

Stars of JD's 'Dream Team' were Ben Chew and Camille Vasquez. Camille, almost Heard's age, gave her the time of her life. She managed to irritate her demons enough to cause slips of tongue revealed she used a 'Bruise Kit' instead of a bruise cover kit. She mistakenly mentioned Kate Moss, winning JD's team Moss' testimony that absolutely proved Heard's claim wrong.

The fans outside the court created a subculture! There were alpacas dressed like Jack Sparrow, gummy bears being sent to his team, the 'Objection Hearsay' song, 'Megapint' references - all memorable courtroom comedy by our favorite entertainer. No matter what's ruled this week, Deppheads believe in their Captain #JusticeforJohnnyDepp

The Abbie, Court of Public Opinion, Team Johnny Depp

I found the Depp-Heard relationship odd as the couple appeared on the red carpets. A very nervous 

Depp and a vivacious, paparazzi savvy Heard. Fast forward the honeymoon period, a no-context video went viral. Headlines of JD throwing a tantrum, slamming cabinets while pouring wine, and a very submissive little wifey whimpering innocent prompts (despite having set up the phone to record), and then him knocking over the phone, went up. The next thing the world heard was a domestic violence accusation, and a divorce case. All this while Depp appeared to have chipped off his finger, he showed blackeyes and bruises! Who was hitting who? The news was served with a cocktail mix of rumors of his finances failing, Disney firing him due to instability, and him losing a grip on himself due to drugs. Heard's suspicious foul play was a heavy duty alimony demand, mysterious bruises (appearing and disappearing as per TV show / public appearances

The international heartthrob, the face of Jack Sparrow, Willy Wonka, Edward Scissorhands, and the Madhatter (all characters close to the hearts of many) in addition to being an iconic onscreen gem, is famous for his exceptionally kind nature, a humble personality, and a lowkey lifestyle of a family man. I have serious trust issues (Tolkien wrote 'The hearts of men are easily corrupted') so I was confused. But for the most part, something was wrong. And it was not JD. And he was being silent about it.

The UK trial ruled him guilty with ambiguous evidence and an unharmed Heard, becoming the face of the Me Too movement, received millions - never donated. Meanwhile, Depp lost bigshot Disney and WB movies - Pirates of the Caribbean and Fantastic Beasts (Harry Potter franchise). For 6 years, when it felt like there was no comeback, something tickled the sleeping dragon and Depp broke silence. He sued his abuser, dragging her to court and unveiling serious evidence to strip the lies for the world to see. In the past 6 weeks, all my doubts were cleared and I was able to #JusticeforJohnnyDepp with confidence. A narcissistic woman's most ugly face was revealed. Amber Heard stood guilty in the court of public opinion [contd. next post]

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Foodie Diaries: Don’t Worry Be Frappe-y

 

There's no better and frappe-y way to say 'almost' goodbye to Spring and Hello! to Summer than a delicious, chilled cup of Starbucks frappuccino. It’s the type of beverage you can drown your sorrows in. *winks* That’s the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino! I am a caramel kind of person so I loved this! There’s a creamed version if you want to do this coffee-free. I got this one on a mall day after a row with my mom’s hairstylist who bailed on the appointment. I’d say it was the perfect calm-me-down.

This is how Starbucks praises it:

“Buttery caramel syrup blended with coffee, milk and ice, then topped with a layer of dark caramel sauce, whipped cream, caramel drizzle and a crunchy caramel-sugar topping—oh-so-beautifully delicious.”

It had hints of Butterbeer 😉 and brought back Wizarding World memories! 

The next one was a heavier "meal" - the delicious Mocha Cookie Crumble frappuccino. It was a good decision to skip lunch for this one. There's so much cookie crushed in the heavenly delicious mocha frappe. There's a mocha drizzle on top that makes it look like a sundae for the photoshoot. This one I got on my Target Run after my annual dentist’s appointment. No cavities calls for a sugary celebration! 

Starbucks says about this:

"Frappuccino® Roast coffee, mocha sauce and Frappuccino® chips blended with milk and ice, layered on top of whipped cream and chocolate cookie crumble and topped with vanilla whipped cream, mocha drizzle and even more chocolate cookie crumble. Each sip is as good as the last . . . all the way to the end."

Secrets of Dumbledore: Movie Experience SPOILER ALERT!

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! 

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! 

It felt like I was the last people on the planet to have watched Secrets of Dumbledore. It is possibly the last week it's showing in cinemas. Even the poster has been taken down from the halls. *sad face* *pout* I missed getting a photo in front of a new release display like earlier with Crimes of Grindelwald. 

The movie is brilliant! Period. 

Pickett the sneaky Bowtruckle and Teddy the pickpocket Niffler are back with serious mischief! Where would Newt be without them? Uh, shredded to pieces by a Manticore! (That was disgusting!).

The Qilin is a new, beautiful creature! It reminded me of the Hippogriff. Looking forward to seeing a Noble Collection figure and a stuffed plush in the Universal Parks! 

Can we please talk about Kowalski?! He's practically the best guy in the movie. He ends up with Dumbledore and Newt's high profile, confidential anti Grindelwald mission team and has a frying pan handy! Haha! I loved the Niffler in the frying pan scene. They should put that image on merch, I'm all game to buy mugs with that graphic. Back to Kowalski --- he's at Hogwarts and has a wand! O the fun he's had with it. He made headlines "Murderous Muggle"! The cheeky Slytherin boys pulled a nasty on him with the Cockroach Clusters, and Grindelwald did a Cruciatus on him OUCH!, but it was wedding bells for him and Queenie in the end and that makes me a very happy person! 

Credence reminded me so much of Snape! Wow! He is Aberforth's son! I was going with the theory where he would turn out to be Ariana's son. Or even Albus Dumbledore's son by chance. But Aberforth! That theory bubbled in my head when Credence and Aberforth were communicating through the mirror. But who would have known? --- So, Credence is dying! The Obscurial will finally take his life but I am hoping Newt Scamander might just intervene and come up with a breakthrough in the upcoming sequels. Credence was Grindelwald's hitman for Albus Dumbledore and we some combat there, some Obscurial style destructo duel. But Dumbledore kind of overpowers. 

That brings us to the bad guy! The new face of Grindelwald. My loyalties shall forever remain with Johnny Depp. Heartfelt wishes of support for him as his lawsuit nears a verdict in the coming weeks. He was a more stylish Grindelwald with more delicateness and finesse. His persona conveyed the magnitude of doom that Grindelwald's agenda harbored. But I can live with the new Grindelwald and his malicious doings. I feel like Johnny Depp's ice cold stares were more chilling than Mads Mikkelsen's. JD came across as a powerful, dark magic loaded evil wizard while Mikkelsen was more of a sharp, corrupt, bigot politician. Brilliant mafia don style acting but less magical is what I mean.  

Anyways folks, this is a wrap on my initial review on Secrets of Dumbledore. I'll be back with more (hopefully!) and meanwhile enjoy the little movie I made of my movie watching experience (no spoilers there).

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Potterhead Chronicles: Harry Potter Collector Day March 5

Happy Harry Potter Collector Day! ⚡️🏰🍻🚂9¾

My Wizarding Universe, the Room of Requirements for real! Some areas are a work in progress because the Muggles don’t let me have enough Me Time. And yet, I’ve rebelled from an Azkaban life and built a lair for myself. My escape room is a creative hideout. I have merchandise gathered from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Orlando, Hot Topic, Box Lunch, Target, Walmart, Pottery Barn, Fun, Conquest Journals, Etsy, eBay, Amazon, F.Y.E., CineReplicas, and Noble Collection!

The madness in my lair extends from my desk, to the walls, covers the bed and the floor! I love collecting home items for a Potterhead lifestyle. There are souvenirs from the frequently lovely visits to Universal Orlando, D.I.Y.s, and decor items that are not official HP but go with setting the feel for being an HP fanatic. 

It’s official, I have a Harry Potter problem!

Join me on my Instagram @abbiesadventures to follow the madness.

Major thanks to @thepottercollector for hosting March 5, 2022 Annual Collectors Day