Book in hand
After seeing "Hulk" (which I didn't care for, but John really liked) we swung by Indigos at 12:30 a.m. to pick up my pre-ordered copy of "Order of The Phoenix".
Had no idea what I'd find- a busy store, a madhouse, a deserted store. Even prepared I was shocked to see a line that ran outside the store and wrapped around the building. Should I stay or should I go? Well, I knew that by morning those line-ups would be even worse, so if I wanted the book to take on our road trip today I'd have to get in line. I got out of the van and joined a couple hundred more people in line.
Turns out there had been some kind of Harry Potter bookstore event for the two hours before I arrived where the bookstore was closed down and you had to pay to get in (!), which is why all the people who just wanted to buy the book were left in line outside. Shortly after John and I joined the line they opened the doors and let all of us in. Madness.
There were lots of staff dressed in costume, lots of kids in Hogwarts cloaks holding copies of the book and smiling crazily as their parents took photos. It all would have been quite bizarre if I didn't keep reminding myself that I was -voluntarily- in the middle of it all and just as bad as them :). Large displays of "Order of The Phoenix" were emptied in no time flat and line-ups began to snake away from the cash registers. Luckily, I learned the pre-order line-up was in the back of the store so we headed back there to a line that I was relieved to see was much shorter.
I was amused by the girl in front of me. She was standing with her mother and she already had her nose in her copy, reading away halfway into chapter 1. At one point she commented to the man in front of her she had to get through the book before anyone told her what happens, who dies. I smiled, knowing that feeling well. The man flipped to the end of the book and studied the page for a few minutes. Turning back to the girl he says, "It isn't so and so" (naming a character) indicating that character was still on the last page. The girl looked at him horrified and just moaned saying, "Don't tell me! Don't tell me! I didn't want to know that!". Heck, -I- didn't want to know that, either. Why are people so obnoxious that way, spoiling the story for a kid (-and- the adult Harry Potter fan behind her?).
Ah, well. Between our weekend road trip and the last week of school it's going to take me longer to read this HP book than the last HP book, so I'm resigned that someone or some media source is going to tip me off to important plot moments before I read them. I just don't get it, though. Why is it just in some people's nature to spoil books and movies for other people?
Cue
bardiclug and my "Karmic Retribution" here:
There's nothing like a premiere to set the heart a-pounding,
The debut of a movie almost three years in the works,
But the months of speculation, the debates, the whispered gossip,
Can be ruined in one moment by some obnoxious jerk.
If I only can avoid him for twenty-four more hours,
If for once he doesn't tell me just how the movie ends,
If I don't answer the phone and if I don't pick up my e-mail,
For just one day longer, perhaps we'll still stay friends.
Heh, some things just never change.
Exercise log- 195.5 miles on the challenge. Plan to crack 200 miles hiking in London today.
Had no idea what I'd find- a busy store, a madhouse, a deserted store. Even prepared I was shocked to see a line that ran outside the store and wrapped around the building. Should I stay or should I go? Well, I knew that by morning those line-ups would be even worse, so if I wanted the book to take on our road trip today I'd have to get in line. I got out of the van and joined a couple hundred more people in line.
Turns out there had been some kind of Harry Potter bookstore event for the two hours before I arrived where the bookstore was closed down and you had to pay to get in (!), which is why all the people who just wanted to buy the book were left in line outside. Shortly after John and I joined the line they opened the doors and let all of us in. Madness.
There were lots of staff dressed in costume, lots of kids in Hogwarts cloaks holding copies of the book and smiling crazily as their parents took photos. It all would have been quite bizarre if I didn't keep reminding myself that I was -voluntarily- in the middle of it all and just as bad as them :). Large displays of "Order of The Phoenix" were emptied in no time flat and line-ups began to snake away from the cash registers. Luckily, I learned the pre-order line-up was in the back of the store so we headed back there to a line that I was relieved to see was much shorter.
I was amused by the girl in front of me. She was standing with her mother and she already had her nose in her copy, reading away halfway into chapter 1. At one point she commented to the man in front of her she had to get through the book before anyone told her what happens, who dies. I smiled, knowing that feeling well. The man flipped to the end of the book and studied the page for a few minutes. Turning back to the girl he says, "It isn't so and so" (naming a character) indicating that character was still on the last page. The girl looked at him horrified and just moaned saying, "Don't tell me! Don't tell me! I didn't want to know that!". Heck, -I- didn't want to know that, either. Why are people so obnoxious that way, spoiling the story for a kid (-and- the adult Harry Potter fan behind her?).
Ah, well. Between our weekend road trip and the last week of school it's going to take me longer to read this HP book than the last HP book, so I'm resigned that someone or some media source is going to tip me off to important plot moments before I read them. I just don't get it, though. Why is it just in some people's nature to spoil books and movies for other people?
Cue
bardiclug and my "Karmic Retribution" here:There's nothing like a premiere to set the heart a-pounding,
The debut of a movie almost three years in the works,
But the months of speculation, the debates, the whispered gossip,
Can be ruined in one moment by some obnoxious jerk.
If I only can avoid him for twenty-four more hours,
If for once he doesn't tell me just how the movie ends,
If I don't answer the phone and if I don't pick up my e-mail,
For just one day longer, perhaps we'll still stay friends.
Heh, some things just never change.
Exercise log- 195.5 miles on the challenge. Plan to crack 200 miles hiking in London today.