I have a terrible feeling ...

[blamebrampton]

... That if you are here for political commentary, knitting, or general blather, this might not be the best week for you on this LJ*.

This next week will be all Harry Potter!

Which is a fine and lovely thing, really. As cultural phenomena go, give me a million words of Potter before a paragraph of most other bestsellers. I love the fact that we no longer need to express a politician's evil venality in complex phrases, but can just call him Voldemort (and Mandy, of all those it's been done to, you didn't actually deserve it, you're more Snape, really. Possibly crossed with Gilderoy Lockhart ...) I love the fact that children are keen on Latin again, and that girly swots have a heroine for the ages. I adore the fact that there is a cultural reference linking so very much of the world, not only English-speaking, and that anyone from a schoolchild to a cricket commentator can dip into it with advantage. I even love the fact that the ginger gets the girl (don't defriend me, Shiv! I still fancy blonds!)

Last night I bought tickets for both parts of 7 (on Tuesday and Wednesday), as I accidentally missed the first one due to too much travelling last year. We need to watch 6 this weekend, as I have only seen it on a plane and Mr B missed it altogether. And then I might re-read the books. Right now I am having a little break before finishing my second-slowest WiP, and I just voted in the MTV Potter Playoffs, or whatever they're called (BTW, Harry is currently losing to Snape. While I am all for Snape and Alan Rickman, it's a trouncing. Go and vote a few times to even things up!)

I'm not as sad at the ending as some of my friends, because I don't see it as an end, and I am still relatively unspoiled for the film's divergences from the book. But I am feeling increasingly Pottery as the week rolls on. When I bought my ukulele on Saturday, the girl in front of me was asking for the Harry Potter sheet music. The man at the desk asked her which film, and she said that she was after the main theme, and started to hum it, badly. Her brother took up the tune and dum de dummed it quite well. I confess, I joined in, and I was not alone! As we fiished, the group of us shared a grin, then pretended that had never happened. I strongly suspect that the next few days will see Random Acts of Potterness increase across the city, and can only imagine life in London at the moment.

I feel as I did when the last book came out (save for not having death flu) – yes, it's the end, but now we have the whole story. It's not over or gone, it's all here.

On a closely related note, THANK YOU to femmequixotic , noeon , tigersilver , sesheta_66 , rainien , phoenixacid , bryoneybrynn , oldenuf2nb , alaana_fair , enchanted_jae , lilliputian722 , alisanne , skriftlig , chantefable , nursedarry , ariannagray , tomatoe18 , cinnatart  and moonflower_rose for all the wonderful LJ kisses!

Alas, thanks to the horrors of time zones, I managed only a small amount of smoochery before I had to head to bed and then work in the morning. ONE DAY there will be a thing like this on a day I am at home and can go wild. Suffice to say that I love you all and you don't need pixels to show you that. But have some, anyway ... XXX




* Except that I will probably post something on the News of the World soon, but I need to actually be able to phrase it without using the phrase Evil Fucking Cunts repeatedly, because that is not civil discourse, even if it is accurate.

Comments

[complications-g.livejournal.com]

I just bought my tickets today for Wednesday morning!!! SO excited!! :D

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I went with a lunch session, because I wanted to be awake :-)

I had thought about the midnight morning one, but it is about 20 minutes after 7.1 finishes at that cinema, and I am going to see that, and will need to process it!

And yes, really quite excited!

[complications-g.livejournal.com]

Oh, me too, it's at 11am! I probably would of gone for the crazy midnight shows but I'm going with my Mum and she wasn't quite up for that. :D

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Things are always more enjoyable after breakfast ;-)

[embolinaoz.livejournal.com]

So many things to say about the experience that has been HP and the wonderful thing is that we'll keep saying them. I think the most amazing thing about the HP universe is how it has influenced us all kids and adults alike to get back in touch with the magic of our imaginations - fandom being case in point.
I can't wait to see what this last installment will bring.....

Enjoy!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Yes! Mr B and I were on the train years ago and there were kids practicing 'Wingardium leviosum!' and adults passing through were doing the Swish and Flick wand motion at them. Lovely stuff!

[leaf-light.livejournal.com]

The rest of the Harry Potter world may be waiting for DH2, I am waiting for Fathers, and believe me I am anticipating it as much as any film fan is counting off the hours *g*. I was hoping since I saw this update in my lunch hour that you were going to be announcing - and what perfect timing if so - the end of Fathers to coincide with the film premiere. (shall now go back to waiting). You do realise that I'm gently teasing you I hope? Mostly.

And yes News of the World just *are*. But when have they not been, one way or another?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Unless there is a disaster, it will be out before the film is on general release. I am just polishing the end at the moment, may even be able to send it to my lovely beta tonight!

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

The ginger should have got another girl!

And the news of the world is a despicable organisation.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I really have to wonder at Murdoch. He espouses some reasonable views, but oversees such appalling derelictions of journalistic credibility and common decency. The NoTW is putrid, and then there is the execrable Fox News. In Australia, his broadsheet is Climate Change Denialists Daily, and then runs occasional, 'well, the science is undeniable, really' editorials on page 26 and calls that Fair and Balanced.

Does all that money let him sleep?

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

He's as bad as people let him be.

If readers didn't want the crap..... people are just a little bit Shit and stupid really, and playing to lowest common denominator pays.

He's not even voldemort. He's ... Fudge.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Good call, he is.

I think that 'people' would definitely have drawn the line well before the editorial team has, so I do think they have a right to be outraged (and even I am appalled that the police can still be bought off like that in this day and age – all decades of anti-corruption changes aside, how on earth could they think they would not be found out?)

I do agree with you that they encouraged the slide down to this new low with their ongoing support of all previous ones, though. Even poor Max Moseley deserved privacy for whatever style of spanking he preferred.

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

And the News of the World is to close this Sunday, no adverts, all profits to go to charity.

Wow.

We all know that's a sop, but what a sop

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

FABULOUS! Rebecca still has a job, Jamie still has a job, a few hundred people who had no power over anything are now unemployed. Wankers.


ETA: First time I have ever been unhesitatingly cheering on John Prescott, BTW!

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

Innit

And yes, he was spot on. As was Ken Clarke - all they'll do is rebrand it. It'll be the Sunday Son.

[geneva2010.livejournal.com]

I loved the humming Harry Potter theme story!

I'm not planning to see the movie right away, and now I'm kind of worried I'll have to be avoiding LJ like mad not to be spoiled, so maybe I'll have to get with the crowds and see it!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

People have been largely good about not posting spoilers, but that may change ... I will try to be good!

[geneva2010.livejournal.com]

I'm sure putting things behind the cut will be fine. It's too much to ask people not to talk about the movie!!

I'll probably cave and see it soon - I just don't have any specific plans yet.

[arcanetrivia]

(BTW, Harry is currently losing to Snape. While I am all for Snape and Alan Rickman, it's a trouncing. Go and vote a few times to even things up!)

Gladly! *click*click*click*

...oh, you meant vote for Harry. My bad. *smirks*

39.64% to 60.36% (which has held pretty steady since yesterday) is hardly a trouncing by my lights. There have been some far more disparate contests in this thing.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's a landslide! Draco v Sirius was at a margin of 0.2% last I looked!

[arcanetrivia]

Well OK, if you're comparing just those two. But I saw some earlier on which were 75/25 or more.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

In this round? I mean, sure for anyone v Dolores Umbridge ... Poor old Harry, it's not his fault he's a thicky!

[arcanetrivia]

No, I mean in previous stages. I think they're all pretty tight this round - I guess Harry-Severus has the biggest gap, actually.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

It's Jason alone who got me interested again, having also missed the last one or two films (for personal reasons etc.). And esp. cool were the latest quotes I read (he might have said it before?) that Draco is the hero for him, because he has to fight against his own destiny and worse odds than the predestined Harry who can't not behave like he does (which reminds me too much of the Jesus story now, which he didn't say, so I'll stop). Plus of course he plugs and praises Rowling (like bowling) all the time, also in the name of his possibly unwilling co-stars (the olde league of ham-sters - we really need a new major series for them all!).

[lyras.livejournal.com]

I am going to my first ever midnight showing on Tuesday!

And aw, to your Potter-humming bonding. :)

[kath-ballantyne.livejournal.com]

We didn't see the 7th one because we moved and then were recovering from moving and then when we finally were going to get around to seeing it the only cinema near us collapsed in a storm. *headdesk*

And now the 8th one is on at Bathurst but not the 7th so I've no idea when we're going to get to see it.

I think we're down in Sydney at the end of this month but unless I can find somewhere still playing the 7th I'm not sure I'm going to get a chance to see it at the cinemas.
Shame.

Hope you have a great time.
I'm off to find photos and video of the premiere

[nenne.livejournal.com]

I think you guys singing together in the shop is simply adorable! *swoons*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Music shops are fun places, because everyone is already a little bit odd and looking for an excuse to break out a tune ;-)

When I bought my second ukulele the chap said 'You'll be rocking out in no time!'

'Rubbish,' I replied. 'It's a ukulele! At most I'll be Vera Lynning ...'

He sang me out the door with 'We'll meet again ...'

[tigersilver.livejournal.com]

You are incredibly welcome and I'm (ebilly) going to friend you now, having been encouraged in these acts of Pottery Random Goodness by a person I shall not name:) Also I am a long-time admirer and will worship quietly (and eruditely, might I add, tho' I canno' type worth a damn, it seems) at your pretty toes, should you bare them.
...Alright?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I cannot type to save my life, either, and am only saved by regular self-editing! And alas, my toes are mangled from ballet, running, cycling and being a hippy child who was allowed to run around barefoot and in the vicinity of horses. So no worshipping! But I would love hanging out and chatting!