From: Ginny Moore Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 13:02:20 -0500

First, I want to remind everyone to erase previous messages when you respond to someone else. OR - erase everything from previous messages except the portion to which you're referring. People with the digest format do not want to receive lots of repetition. And - the CCBC-Net electronic archives are less useful to everyone when they contain repetitions - actually repetitions in the archives are very confusing. So please try to remember to begin your response either with a "clean slate," or with minimal repetition from previous messages.

Next, I will also remind you about replying to one person. When you hit the reply button thinkg you are replying only to the sender of any message to the CCBC-Net community, your message will be sent to everyone!. That's right - every one of us. This happens even when your computer screen gives you the impression that you're writing to one person.

Hey, who said these machines aren't smart? Well, they aren't. We're the smart ones. We must be smarter than ever not to make the errors a few innocent folks recently made. Sometimes the errors can be sources of embarrassment. We all get these messages, even if we aren't supposed to. Example: most recently we all received two messages intended only for Brenda Bowen. Hey, I make lots of computer mistakes myself. I'm trying to become smarter about using my computer. We all are. We'll still make mistakes. I'm sure I will. I just hope they're different ones, but I'm not crossing my fingers on that.

Now let's remember the camping experience associated with having tickets for the World Quidditch Cup match. In chapter six after using the portkey - another of Rowling's neat inventions - the Weasleys and Harry moved into the tents pre-booked for them. When they first checked in at the campground, Mr. Weasley became confused about paying with Muggle money. The Muggle camground manager Mr. Roberts remarked that someone already had "...trouble with money. I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago...weirdos, you konw?...like some sort of rally...they all seem to know each other..." I chuckled out loud about the clothes the wizards et al were wearing as they attempted to blend in by looking like Muggles on holiday at a campground. Once inside their tents, though, magic prevailed and they had access to completely furnished flats but they had also the challenge of Muggle campground cooking "on fires" outside.

Rowling has a knack of showing us Muggle readers a bit of ourselves as campers and sports enthusiasts. We laugh. Rowling is also adept at showing the tension for anyone anyone who tries to blend in without being noticed or who needs to have a true identity remain hidden without being revealed. As humorous as she makes it, the reality is actually no laughing matter. - Ginny

Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at education.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center, A Library of the School of Education (www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/) University of Wisconsin - Madison
Received on Thu 21 Sep 2000 01:02:20 PM CDT