10 years of Harry Potter

I'm about to be super cliche right now. And I know a lot of my blog posts are... But get ready.

I cried so hard the other night. Why you may ask? Because I saw the final film in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2. I know I know. Stupid. But over the course of 10 years I can remember all the people and all the places where these movies became much more than a movie, but an EVENT. Here are some highlights.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:
I had never really read the books. One of my friends actually used one of the books to discuss the innocence of children verses the corruption of adults in my AP English class... (I used The Turn of the Screw. Read it). I said, why not. So I decided to read the book. In the meantime, the first movie came out and I did NOT wanna see the movie until I read the book. So I waited until my birthday, which was in December. So on my 18th Birthday, December 2, 2001, my mother and I went to Honesdale, Pa to go see the first Harry Potter film, and I became hooked.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban:
While attending Penn State University, the third movie came out. I was dating a sweet boy at the time, but it came out during the summer. So I drove all the way from NEPA to Bellefonte, Pa to see the Midnight showing at the Garman Opera House, an old opera house built in 1857 which was converted into a movie theatre with stadium seating and digital sound.






I actually saw movies Two through Four at this beautiful theatre, and rumor has it, it has now closed... So many memories at this historic theatre...

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince:
Not every Harry experience can be a happy one. I saw this film when I was with my ex who wasn't my boyfriend at the time (and if you ask him he will probably say he never was). His sister was kind enough to get us tickets for the midnight showing in Times Square. I remember drinking, a lot, as I always did when I was with him. We even made "travelers" to bring with us into the theater. At some point, while waiting for the movie to begin, he has a random hissy fit for some reason or another, and for the first (and probably only time with him) it wasn't my fault. He started screaming at me and his sister about something and stormed out of the theatre. I waited like 15 minutes to go after him and then found him just inside the door of the theater waiting for someone to come after him. We finally got to see the movie, although he bitched about Emma Watson the whole time and I had to go see it again by myself to actually enjoy it... Ugh...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2:
So the other night, Tyler, Meghan, Dane, and myself all went to the IMAX 3D showing at Lincoln Square in NYC. I had such a blast. It was such a surreal experience to be sitting in this huge theatre in NYC with my boyfriend, best friend, and her boyfriend seeing a conclusion 10 years in the making.


Meghan and Dane showing off their 3D glasses.

We have all grown up. It's amazing to think that during my senior year of high school I started this journey and now I'm 27, a working actor in New York City, and in an amazing relationship that will probably last a lifetime.

So here is your assignment all those Potterheads out there: Compare who you were when you saw the first movie compared to who you are now seeing the last.

I was straight, and now I'm out.
I was in high school and now I'm living in New York.
I listened to Britney Spears, and now I listen to... Well.. Britney Spears. Okay. So some things don't change. Hahaha. But how much have you grown? Let me know. Tweet at @TheHemoHomo or message me here.. I'm interested to hear your responses.



Till we meet again...

The Fast Lane

I hopped on the train today to head into the show and when I got on, they said it was running express. I got super excited because I was running late to begin with. But that aside, I always get excited because I know I'm going to get where I wanna go faster, but why is that?

Be it an express train, a non-stop flight, or never taking a summer break in college so you can graduate in three years instead of four, (which we all know I never did) why is it that we always want to get everywhere so fast. What about the journey?

*Just a small town girl.... Livin' in a lonely world...* Come on, you knew I was going there...

Now don't get me wrong, I love a good express train, but I'm trying to use a metaphor here. (ME?!? Use a metaphor? Never...) I look back on growing up and how when I was little, I just couldn't wait to get to double digits. Then, at 10, all I wanted was to be 13, then 16, then 18, 21, 25 (to rent a car, duh), and now, in some weird way, I cannot wait to be 30. I just want it to get there already.

But as I look back, I wish I had spent more time really living the life I was in, rather than wishing it was over and on to something else. The relationships I had with friends, lovers, and the few that fell somewhere in between, were all over before they should have been, but I couldn't wait to get on to something new...

Even now, in the wake of a big decision I am facing at the moment (don't worry, you'll know soon enough), I just wanna fly through these next couple months so it can get here...

I don't know about anyone else, but I feel like I keep hoping that everything will be better at the next milestone. I keep waiting for fate to swoop in and make everything fabulous, but it doesn't. And so I keep trying to flag down that express train to get me to my next stop faster, and I lose out on all the other great stuff in between.

So this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to try and enjoy life again. All of it, not just the good parts, but the not so good ones too. I need to laugh at myself when I overdraw my bank account because my Amazon Prime annual fee went through without me realizing. Or smile when I see an ex across the street who doesn't even acknowledge my existence anymore. Or just take a deep breath when I feel that green eyed monster trying to rear it's ugly head when amazing things are happening to people who I love more than life itself. But most importantly, I am going to stand tall when I have done something wrong, or bad, or forgetful, and make amends for the issues in front of me.

Just because I hop on the express train doesn't mean that the other stops aren't there, I've just gone by them, and yes, some may be bad, but most are good. And I wanna experience them all...


Till we meet again...

Call Me Irresponsible...

So wow. I mention it on here a lot about how I'm a bad hemophiliac. I am never prepared. Never ready for when an episode actually hits. And here we are. Sitting in a waiting room waiting to get infused because I dropped the ball... Or the soap... And got royally, well, you know what happens when you drop the soap...

So the other day I woke up and my right ankle felt so tight. Like... Super tight. And hurt. Meh! That happens. So I stretched it out and got on my way to work. It felt better.

I should explain where the pain is. If you could get a bleed in your tendon, I would assume my Achilles was bleeding, but I know that's silly, so I assume it is the muscle surrounding/controlling the tendon that is having the issue... Okay... Back to the story...

So I'm at Belcourt, setting up the bar, and it starts bothering me again... And it only gets worse. And worse. And worse. By the time 6pm rolls around I'm taking breaks just to go downstairs and cry a little because it hurt so bad. Everyone was really nice and let me go home as soon as I could, so I went home and started icing, and wrapping, and icing, and wrapping... Over and over.

I slept a total of 3 hours.

So then I wake up the next morning and try to stretch it out, and it's still bothering me... I have mobility back, but still bothering me. So this is the moment of truth where I decide to Stimate (a nasal spray used in mild Hemophiliacs to boost the existing factor level to a higher, but still semi-low, amount), or infuse with Factor VIII. Only one problem. I don't have either.

There are times in our lives when we need to be prepared, to not drop the ball (or whatever you drop) when it comes to the important factors of our lives. Be it making sure you have your EpiPen, inhaler, or, in my case, factor, you have to have the things that keep you healthy on hand. And I did not. My factor was not on me due to a mishap involving phone calls between my pharmacy and HTC (which, in theory, is still my fault because I should have been more on top of it), and because I never brought my prescription to the pharmacy because the excuse was... I'll have more money next week for the co-pay.

So here, on a random Thursday afternoon, I had 2 nurses scrambling during a normal work day with other patients just to try and find a way to get me my medication, and a clinical pharmacist at Affinity, scrambling to try and get medication together for an overnight delivery so I could have more if needed the following day. And it was all because I was irresponsible.

I don't know what I would have done if it wasn't for Donna and Maria and NY-Pres and for Jean (and Matt and Michael) at Affinity Biotech.

I have to say it is feeling better, but I do have it wrapped and still don't have full flexing motion in my ankle, but I now know that from this point on I'll be ready...

So... As the evilicious Scar states so beautifully in The Lion King, Be Prepared! Because this time, I was lucky.... And all we as know, Luck is a Lady (Tonight), but I've never been too suave with the lady folk so I'm gonna try this responsibility angle. Ugh...

Till we meet again...

Location:New York - Presbyterian

A difference of opinion...

I'm sorry I disappeared for a while. Things have been crazy since the road trip and I just haven't had a chance to write. So Oh my God, I'm back again. Party people everybody sing. Okay... Enough Backstreet Boys.

So I could sit here and tell you about another funny story from my past, which is always a good time, or tell you about all of the ridiculous things taking place in my present, which is also pretty entertaining, but I feel like this is a good time to comment on current events, because I dunno how I missed it, but a mouse was cured of Hemophilia... What?!?

I may have a different interpretation of hemophilia than some others out there, especially because I am mild-moderate, but I have a hard time believing that I am going to see a cure for Hemophilia become available to the public before I turn 50, even if then.

I know. I sound pessimistic, but I'm not a negative person... Normally. I just feel like I have a tendency to be real. Pharmaceutical companies make too much money off of hemophilia treatment to allow a cure to come out soon.

Now, I know I am talking in generalizations, not ALL pharmaceutical companies feel that way, I guarantee, just like not all 'mo's think Britney deserves her recent success (come on Brit, you can dance better live). But here in lies the rub, when for years these companies have been funding new and better treatments to REGULATE bleeding, why would they then just turn around and not lobby that gene therapy research is too dangerous for consumers, or the Darwin theory, or whatever reasons they think will relate to government officials to keep customers using their products that, thankfully, they have poured millions of dollars into just so that they could lose all of it.

The medical industry is a big business. Business. And to make money people need to stay, somewhat, sick. More comfortable, but sick. It's tough to think about, but I know that some of you feel that way out there as well.

And I hope I am wrong. This is why I love living in America. Because I can start a blog about my life and have my own opinion, and know that other people feel differently, and that's okay. Maybe one day I will be able to live my life without the fear of bleeding. But I think that day is a little far off. For now, I am thankful that there are treatments that can keep me healthy and have helped to make this illness livable.

So don't hate. I'm just speaking my mind. And I'm interested in knowing what you think. So tweet me (@TheHemoHomo) or comment here. I will respond. Hope everyone reading is having a good day, because I am on my way to work... Yuck...

Till we meet again...

Location:E 72nd St,New York,United States