Reminiscences

(Disclaimer: I'm usually a calm blogger, but I fear the in all the excitement I may have used caps lock. I apologize for the shouting, but sometimes there's not much you can do about it.)

There are two things I consider to be the glue that holds my life together. Two experiences that unite everywhere I've been. And whenever I re-experience them, it takes me back to everywhere and everytime. I wrote about one of them the other day, so it's only fair that I write about the second. Especially since this one still has a few new experiences to add to the list. Of course I am talking about Harry Potter.

In a few hours I will hopefully be seeing the first installment of the seventh Harry Potter movie. Hopefully in Imax. I've been a little over excited for a few day anticipating the viewing. Well, really since I first saw the trailer, whenever that was, and started quoting it to Jordan all the time, “the movie event of a generation.” And at least for me, this movie and it's finale in July probably will be the most anticipated movie event of my lifetime. I can't imagine anything surpassing it. Because Harry Potter is the glue that holds the disconnected parts of my life together.

Getting ready for a book party for the release of the last book. 

I first read Harry Potter in Bolivia. My mom somehow got the first three books from the elementary librarian before they went on the shelves and told me I had to read them before they went into general circulation because there was a big waiting list. I had never heard of the books, not surprising really since there was no internet then (how did anyone know anything?) but read them anyway because reading is what I did. And they were magical. Every time I reread the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone I remember wondering the first time what a “muggle” was and what could possibly be so special about an 11 year-old boy. And so me the middle school girl was linked to me the old married woman by waiting and wondering.

When the fourth book finally came out, I remember saving it to read on the plane back to La Paz after summer vacation. I got to read it in style too because we got bumped up to first class that flight. Books five and six also came out over the summer vacation, and I read them in the townhouse, except for parts of book five, which despite having pre-ordered the book months in advance, still arrived with PAGES MISSING! I still can't believe that they sent out misprinted books, but I got one, and it was a desperate moment when I realized the book was repeating itself. To solve my problem, I went over to my friend's house and read 50 pages of her book, until I got to the place where my book was back on track. Good thing I didn't save that one to read on the plane.

Perhaps the biggest sacrifice of my married life was waiting over a year to read the final book. Jordan wanted to read it with me, but of course, he hadn't read A SINGLE BOOK yet. So we had to read them all, and then finally read the last one. Why I waited to experience the ultimate excitement with a fair-weather fan is beyond me. I guess that's love. I remember listening to the audiobooks of the earlier books in the car on the way back from North Carolina. And finally, finally, reading the last one when we got to Korea.

Reading Prisoner of Azkaban in Jordan on the way to Petra. 

The movies have also helped link my life together. I saw the first one with my family at the birthday party of one of my mom's students. It was an early screening of the movie, so somehow my mom got us invited to that. The third movie I saw when I was traveling in England with my grandmother. I was thrilled to be able to see it in the actual country of the story's birth. Also, everywhere we went the buses had giant pictures of Ron's face looking a little ridiculous.

The fourth movie came out during my second year at Bethel, and I went to see it with a roommate who is also a big fan. Although she was a little nervous to go with me alone because I can be a little noisy during movies when I'm surprised. She talked another one of our roommates to come along and help keep me inline.

The fifth movie came out right before my wedding, as did the seventh book. Luckily, unlike the book, I saw the movie in theaters a few times. I think that movie is what actually convinced Jordan that the books were worth reading because they didn't seem to be so light and fluffy anymore. Perhaps it should have worried me more that Jordan liked the crazy, hormonal Harry better than nice, normal Harry. It didn't surprise me though.

The sixth movie we saw in Korea, twice. I can't think of any other movies I've watched in the theater more than once. But I've definitely seen many of the Harry Potter movies more than once, while still in theaters, and countless more times on DVD.

And so in a few hours, I will be embarking on the end of an experience that has united bits of my life for over ten years. Once the movies are done, there's only Harry Potter World left to visit. I wonder if Jordan can make a game about that?