Oh and also, just in case you didn’t realize, I am not attending a midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Death of Childhood Deathly Hallows Part II.  I saw a bunch of prepubescent witches and wizards (the witches looking mostly like Catholic school girl knock-offs) prancing around Only Burger today due to its proximity to the Carmike Theaters.  Presumably they are at a midnight showing right now.

Now to those of you who are at the theaters, have fun y’all.  I had my midnight showing days back when I was still a young, carefree student, typically over winter breaks.  My favorite midnight showing experiences involved 25+ people from the Pine View Class of 2003, all boys except for me and Cady. (hi Cady! We represented well didn’t we?).  Every winter break for three years we’d all trickle home from our universities and congregate at the Hollywood 20 on Main Street in downtown Sarasota to watch the Lord of the Rings movies.  Those were younger days.

I enjoy Harry Potter lots and lots; I went to nearly all of the midnight book parties.  I definitely spent long weekends during various summers (and somehow they were all rainy weekends, so no guilt!) locked in my room devouring the books.  I’d stay up all night reading the books–it was an epic and exhilarating experience.   There is nothing like holding a freshly-released volume of a series in your hands and knowing that you are about to get the next chunk of a fantastic story; I’m reliving that thrill right now with the newest Song of Ice and Fire book, just with a bit less marathoning and a bit more paced enjoyment.  (Also, more sex and death).  However, I never really got that sense of heart-pounding anticipation and excitement with the Harry Potter movies.  They are enjoyable and remarkable works of art in their own ways–the creative geniuses who designed the world, from sets to costumes to props to creatures, all deserve a huge round of applause–but I’ve never felt the need to rush out to a midnight showing of the films.

I had my Harry Potter midnight party days back at the Barnes & Noble in Sarasota and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.  Y’all can have your popcorny, crowded, Harry Potter midnight party day at the numerous sold-out theaters around the country.  Seriously, have fun.  I’m going to go get a good night’s sleep, so I can enjoy my Friday and then go catch a matinee of the film sometime this weekend. Because I am old, and old people go see matinees.

PS: The girl dressed as Sybill Trelawney has a blog too, it is about cooking, and it is pretty rad.  She’s in med school now.  I feel old.