Now to FINALLY get started on my Florida trip report! YAY.

I’m going to start with our visit to Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure. Where we visited The Wizarding World of Harry Potter on Thurs, 12/1. !!!

WARNING: PIC HEAVY ENTRY! (Feel free to click each pic for bigger).

Walking up to the entrance…

I PRETTY MUCH STOPPED IN MY TRACKS.

The Hogwarts Express! SQUEE!

Then Hogsmeade. It’s so detailed! STUNNING.

And finally…

HOGWARTS. As we were walking up to the castle, I suddenly felt so overwhelmed. Everything looked absolutely perfect and I couldn’t believe we were actually there!

We went on all 3 rides in the Wizarding World, the best of which was Forbidden Journey. It’s not a roller coaster but it’s definitely a thrill ride — the ride spins, twists, and drops you every which way as you soar through Hogwarts with the trio. It’s AH-MAY-ZING. Probably in my Top 3 rides EVER.

It even features a fan-freaking-tastic queue where you see…

The Mirror of Erised…

Professor Sprout’s greenhouse…

the House Points…

the Sorting Hat…

Dumbledore’s office…

And finally the Defense of the Dark Arts classroom with the trio!

After the rides, we explored Hogsmeade and came across…

Ollivander’s (there’s a “show” where you can see a muggle select a wand but because of the store’s looooow capacity, the line is ridiculously long)…

Dervish and Banges…

Zonko’s…

Honeydukes! All the stores are themed impeccably but they’re not designed to hold many people at all (I believe this was something that J.K. Rowling insisted on to be realistic to her vision). We visited during an off-peak time and it was STILL crowded inside the stores (the rides were all walk-ons, though). I don’t even want to imagine what it would be like in the summer.

For lunch, we ate at the Three Broomsticks so we could try butterbeer! YUM. I got frozen and Rob got regular… I made the better choice. Hehe. The frozen butterbeer is FAR better. But it’s VERY sweet so I couldn’t finish it. This is the best picture I have of the butterbeer (frozen is in front in the souvenir cup)…

Eventually we made our way around the park to visit the other “islands” — Seuss Landing, Jurassic Park, Marvel Super Hero Island (The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is a MUST-DO ride), etc.

Islands of Adventure is such a picturesque park.

I can’t wait until the Wizarding World makes its way to Hollywood! I LOVED it. There were so many times where I’d stop, look around and find myself absolutely stunned and speechless. The Harry Potter series means a lot to me and it was incredible to have such an immersive experience. I can’t explain it. If you’re a fan, I highly recommend a visit. It won’t be one you’ll soon forget.

Ride count (for my reference):
Forbidden Journey (WWoHP) – 2
Dragon Challenge (WWoHP)- 1
Flight of the Hippogriff (WWoHP) – 1
The Cat in the Hat (Seuss Landing) – 1
The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley (Seuss Landing) – 1
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (Marvel) – 1

For more pics from Islands of Adventure & WWoHP, check our Flickr here.

I was hoping to see the movie this weekend but we have a wedding, baby shower and birthday to attend so I’m not sure when I’ll have the chance. Hopefully soon.

I can hardly believe that after Deathly Hallows, Part 2, there won’t be any more movies to look forward to or obsess over.

*SOB*

I love the movies for bringing one of my favorite book series to life. And for introducing the world to Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. Look how much they’ve grown!

Sorceror’s Stone

Chamber of Secrets

Prisoner of Azkaban

Goblet of Fire

Order of the Phoenix

Half-Blood Prince

Deathly Hallows, Part 1

I LOVE THEM. Thanks Leaky Cauldron for the pics. The inspiration for this mini picspam came from Hero Complex and their own slideshow of the actors through the years.

I also have to share this video of behind the scenes footage from the last days of shooting…

I’m seriously crying right now.

Thank you, Harry. (Yes, I stole that from last week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly. No, I don’t care).

So it’s about that time for another Happy Things entry — this time it’s the (almost) July edition!

1. House-iversary! Rob and I have been living in our house for the past year. CRAZY. It really doesn’t seem that long. Particularly since we’re not even done furnishing or organizing the boxes in our garage. Not to mention that…

2. We JUST now (mostly) finished the work in our (tiny) yard. Yes, after a year! We had sod and pavers installed last September but since then, we’ve let weeds grow in the surrounding soil. Oops. Finally, two weeks ago, with my dad’s help, we got rid of the weeds, prepared the soil, and added plants. YAY.

3. The upcoming Fourth of July holiday. One of my favorites. Love how laid back it is. Not sure what our plans are for the long weekend but it’ll probably involve some work around the house. Maybe Rob will fire up the grill. And we can catch up on summer movies (still want to see Bridesmaids, X-Men: First Class, and Super 8).

4. Speaking of movies… HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2. !!! I can’t believe it’s almost over. *sob* I’ve already convinced Rob we NEED to see it opening weekend.

5. Two weddings and a baby shower. I’m going to be an aunt! My cousin’s wife is pregnant — since I have no siblings, I’m claiming their (future) daughter as my niece.

Bonus happy thing!

6. Comic-Con. We’re going the full 4 days again. I CAN’T WAIT. This time we’ll have other friends with us — it’s going to be great.

Random. I’ve had Bruno Mars’s “The Lazy Song” on repeat. This is like my summer anthem…

Today I don’t feel like doing anything
I just want to lay in my bed
Don’t feel like picking up my phone
So leave a message at the tone
Cause today I swear I’m not doing anything

So… this review (of sorts) is super late. But I wanted to write it for posterity.

I loved Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1. I really, really did. The movie felt less like an adaptation (the way Prisoner of Azkaban was) and more of a faithful translation of the book but it worked. It was dark, intense and suspenseful when it needed to be yet it also had moments of humor to temper all the emotions.

I have to say that the trio is amazing. The producers really lucked out many years ago with the casting of Dan, Rupert and Emma. This movie features them so much and they delivered.

Cutting the rest for spoilers…

Loved
1. The entire opening scene. Hermione obliviating herself from her parents’ memories. Ron standing outside of the Burrows. Harry watching as the Durleys leave.
2. Seven Harry Potters. Oh, the hilarity. Dan did a great job of capturing the quirks of the other actors/characters. And Harry in Fleur’s clothes! Bwah.
3. Hedwig’s death. *sob* I liked that they gave her a better death than in the book where she was stuck in her cage.
4. Death Eater meeting. CHILLS.
5. George walking in on Harry & Ginny in the kitchen. His facial expressions were classic.
6. “Come dad, Harry doesn’t want to talk to us. He’s just too polite to say so.” — Luna at the wedding.
7. Dobby & Kreacher, the awesome elf duo.
8. Hermione reading The Tale of Three Brothers, Ron interrupting to say that his mum always said midnight and Hermione’s glare in response. That was perfect.
9. Harry & Hermione’s dance in the tent. The way he took the locket off her neck felt so intimate. And their dance was full of love and sadness. My shipper heart was overwhelmed. And later I loved when Hermione said they should stay in the forest and grow old together. Awww.
10. Hermione’s torture scene. I’ve always been an Emma Watson apologist but was finally really impressed by her in this scene.
11. The feeling of isolation throughout the camping scenes.

Nitpicks
These are mostly omissions that I missed or think are important…
1. Harry & Ginny. Yes, still. They have no chemistry whatsoever and it pains me. Bonnie Wright doesn’t bring anything special to the role. Especially when compared to the way that Ginny is described in the books. She’s charismatic and spunky in the books. In the movies? Not so much.
2. No goodbye scene between Dudley and Harry.
3. Lack of invisibility cloak in the Ministry of Magic scenes. It just didn’t make sense considering how Harry is public enemy #1.
4. No memorial at the Potter house.
5. The trio not going to Luna’s room and seeing the mural she created of them.
6. No Harry & Ron hug after Ron destroys the horcrux. Actually, I think that scene needed more emotion from both characters in general.
7. Ron not yelling for Hermione during the torture scene.
8. The obvious way some scenes were shot that indicate they were meant for 3D. Blah.

Overall, though, this was one of my favorite HP movies (alongside Sorceror’s Stone and Prisoner of Azkaban). And as much as I’m looking forward to the conclusion, I’m a little sad too. The films will never compare to the books but I’m going to miss the anticipation. The build-up. The excitement. It’s going to be hard to see it all end.

But that’s enough of that. This is a no-work zone. I want to think about my current 5 Happy Things!

1. Putting up our Christmas tree.

Rob and I always put up our tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. What can I say? We’re (ok, *I’M*) always super excited to usher Christmas into our home.

2. Girls’ Weekend in Palm Springs with the BFFs.

We stayed overnight at the Ace Hotel and despite the unusually cool weather for this time of year, it was an awesome getaway filled with lots of food, girl time and even a viewing of Eclipse. Perfect.

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1.

OMG. The movie was amazing. Probably one of my favorites of the 7 so far. I’d love to watch it again. I’ll get to a review soon.

4. Next week’s 3-day trip to San Francisco. Yes, it’s for work so I have work obligations but I’m looking forward to seeing friends and just being in the city again. I miss the hustle and bustle!

5. My domain! The server hosting my site failed earlier this week so it was down for a couple of days. And I missed it! OF COURSE I wouldn’t be able to access my site at the exact time I’m itching to blog. But now it’s back. YAY.

Do you have any happy things to share? Diesel wants to know.

But I went to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince last week and I HAVE to write up my thoughts! I liked it (but didn’t LOVE it). I think I’m getting old because I really wanted to go to a midnight showing (love the crowd, the anticipation, etc) but was too tired after work. Heh.

I sat next to a pair of IDIOTS who talked the ENTIRE TIME. I couldn’t actually hear their conversation but I don’t think they were even trying to whisper. UGH. Why pay $11 for a movie and then not even pay attention? You can talk outside for FREE.

Anyway.

First off, they really had to cut A LOT. And I know that’s the nature of adapting the book to a movie but if I wasn’t a fan, I don’t know how I would follow along!

I guess I should cut for spoilers?

Things I Loved
1. Dan, Rupert, and Emma’s chemistry… you can tell they all have a great relationship with one another and it trickles down to their characters.
2. The Humor. This one seemed to have lots of subtle humorous moments. One moment that I remember in particular was when Harry took the Felix Felicis potion and Professor Slughorn said “Harry” indignantly and Harry turned to him and snarked “Professor!” in a mocking tone. Loved that. Lavendar Brown was also hilarious. As was Professor McGonagall when she told Harry to “take Mr. Weasley with you. He looks far too happy.” Hee.
3. Professor Slughorn and Young Tom Riddle. Jim Broadbent and Hero Fiennes-Tiffin were pretty darn perfect.
4. The entire cave scene was really well done. I TOTALLY knew the Inferi were coming but I STILL jumped when they reached up and dragged Harry into the lake.
5. My favorite scene was after Dumbledore’s death… Professor McGonagall lit her wand and raised it in the air and the other students and teachers followed suit to eradicate the Dark Mark that was over the castle.

Things I Didn’t Care For
I guess I’ll start with some minor nitpicks…
1. Bonnie Wright’s acting. She’s such a cutie but she’s just NOT the Ginny I imagined. She’s not as charming or charismatic as the Ginny I envisioned while reading the books.
2. The casting of Narcissa. She just doesn’t look like Narcissa! I always imagined Nicole Kidman — she’s beautiful and can do scornfully arrogant very well.

And more significant nitpicks…
3. The Burrows burning down. It doesn’t even happen in the book!
4. The Half-Blood Prince storyline and Snape’s reveal to Harry was a huge disappointment. It almost seemed inconsequential when it’s not – it’s an important part of understanding Snape’s conflicts, motivations and ultimate allegiance. And there was no real confrontation with Harry at all after Dumbledore’s death – it was such a throwaway scene.
5. The “battle” at Hogwarts when Harry was standing below not doing a thing while Dumbledore was being attacked – it is SO out of character for Harry to do absolutely nothing. Book Harry is petrified (I think) by Dumbledore so he can’t do anything and isn’t seen. I can usually understand minor changes to make the movie flow better but this is a HUGE change! It makes no sense to me.

All in all, it was a good movie but it definitely felt like a build-up to the next two movies. It’s too bad because the end of Half-Blood Prince is powerful and climactic on its own. I hope to watch it again soon but for now, I think I’m due for a re-read.

There was nothing on last night besides American Idol so I watched it. I realized I haven’t watched it regularly in over 2 seasons. I kinda felt out of touch. I actually forgot how painful it can be watching the show live. Eek. Katharine McPhee was there as a guest. She is freaking gorgeous. Ugh. Hate her. (Just kidding, kind of).

I just read about the decision to split up Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows into 2 movies. They should just make 1 movie (even if it’s lengthy) and be done with it. Thumbs down.

I’m at work right now and cannot focus on anything so I have decided to do this meme. Stolen from Nicola…

01. What time did you get up this morning?
6:45am… far later than usual. So of course, I was running around like a crazy person trying to leave the apartment on time. When Rob’s out of town, I have to take a bus to the train station and that thing does not come all that often.
02. Diamonds or pearls?
Both please. Thanks.
03. What was the last movie you saw?
It’s been awhile. I *think* the last movie I saw was Enchanted. I totally want to see The Other Boleyn Girl and also Step Up 2 (shut up ). But I bet I won’t see any movies in the theatre until the summer blockbusters are released.
04. Where is the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?
Paris. I have a love affair with the city.
05. What do you usually have for breakfast?
Either cereal (Cheerios) or oatmeal. And also tea — I particularly love the Strawberry Cream tea from Coffee Bean. Some Fridays I’ll treat myself to a nonfat Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks for making it through the work week.
06. What is your middle name?
Lachica. It’s my mom’s maiden name.
07. What food do you dislike?
I don’t like anything slimy. This includes okra and uni (sea urchin).
08. What is your favorite CD?
Probably the Rent soundtrack (original Broadway cast version). With *N Sync’s No Strings Attached as a close second. HEE.
09. What kind of car do you drive?
No car for me. :/
10. Favorite sandwich?
I love pastrami sandwiches. Mmmm. I also really like turkey and avocado on a croissant. YUM.

11. What characteristics do you despise?
I’ve never really thought about it… maybe self-absorption, selfishness.
12. Favorite item of clothing?
Jeans. If I could, I would wear them to work every day.
13. If you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation, where would you go?
EVERYWHERE. But really, my travel to do list has Australia at the top. I also want to visit New Zealand, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, Greece… and pretty much all the other countries in Europe I haven’t seen.
14. What color is your bathroom?
Light green and tan.
15. Favorite brand of clothing?
Banana Republic. It’s not the most fashion forward but I like that I can get clothes for work and the weekends in one place.
16. Where would you retire?
I have no idea.
17. What was your most memorable birthday?
It’s a tie between my 16th and 18th. For my 16th, I had a party at my house — invited lots of friends, my family prepared tons of food, and I had a DJ in the backyard so we could all dance. I don’t remember a lot of the details from that night but I know I was really happy. I celebrated my 18th during my first year in college and I was terribly homesick. My family and my friend Robyn came to visit. I don’t think we did anything special but just having them around was so nice.
18. Favorite sport to watch?
I’m such a girl but it’s a tie between figure skating and gymnastics. I’m so excited this is an Olympics year!
19. Furthest place you are sending this?
Uhhh…
20. Who do you expect to repost this?
No one…
21. Person you expect to repost first?
…
22. Favorite saying?
That I actually say? I can’t think of one right now.
23. When is your birthday?
October 11.
24. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Night person, definitely. I am very grumpy in the morning.
25. What is your shoe size?
6 or 6.5
26. Pets?
YES! A little shih-tzu named Diesel.
27. What did you want to be when you were little?
I wanted to be a professional ballerina up until high school when I realized there is no money in a dancing career.
28. What are you today?
Media Buyer.
29. What is your favorite candy?
Sour Patch Kids! And chocolate-covered gummi bears. Oh! And Scotchmallows from See’s.
30. What is your favorite flower?
Roses (particularly in pink!), ranunculus, and stephanotis. Pretty! All of these will be in my bridal bouquet.
31. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
My wedding!
32. What are you listening to right now?
Britney Spears’s Blackout album. I’m loving it.
33. What was the last thing you ate?
I had a canned Campbell’s chicken and wild rice soup for dinner.
34. Do you wish on stars?
No.
35. Do you believe in Angels?
Mmm… I think I do. Or at least I believe in the idea of Angels.
36. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
PINK!
37. Pet peeves?
Mmm… the one that immediately comes to mind is people talking during a movie. They try to whisper but that makes it worse. Ack, I hate that.
38. Favorite Television show?
Right now it’s Gossip Girl.
39. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
Rob
40. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
I stole this from Nicola and yes, she’s pretty darn awesome.
41. Favorite soft drink?
Coke. So refreshing on a hot day.
42. Favorite restaurant?
Huh. I LOVE food but don’t think I have a favorite restaurant…
43. Hair Color?
Black
44. Siblings?
None. I’m an only child.
46. What was your favorite toy as a child?
My Barbies and their Dream House. Gawd, I’m such a girl.
47. Summer or Winter?
Summer for the weather but Winter for the clothes.
48. Hugs or kisses?
Kisses.
49. Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate.
50. Do you want your friends to repost this?
Of course!
51. When was the last time you cried?
I’m sure I’ve cried this year but I don’t think it was in a serious situation… I probably cried while watching One Tree Hill or something. Hee.
52. What is under your bed?
We use that space for more storage so I have boxes filled with linens, scarves, and bags/purses under there.
53. Who is the friend you’ve had longest?
In real life, I’ve known my best friends Carmen and Robyn the longest.
54. What did you do last night for dinner?
I bought some sushi after work and brought it home to eat with Diesel.
55. Favorite smell?
I loooove the smell of coffee.
57. How many keys on your key ring?
Only two — one for the apartment and the other for the mailbox.
58. How many years at your current job?
1.5
59. Favorite day of the week?
Friday… I know it’s a work day but I love the anticipation of the weekend.
60. How many towns have you lived in?
I’m on my third.
61. Do you make friends easily?
No. I’m too much of an introvert.
62. How many folks will read this?
I actually don’t think anyone will get this far.
63. Are you happy?
Yes, I really am.

I’ve been in a “post-Potter state of depression” (tm Sarah) since finishing the last book. It seems so silly but I’m incredibly sad. It’s been a great ride for me… I didn’t start reading the books until the summer of 2001, right after college graduation. I was a “late bloomer,” as they say, hehe. One of my college roommates recommended them to me after she read the first 4 books during our senior year. I remember wondering why in the world she was reading children’s books. Little did I know. Fast forward to the summer when I had no job (no full-time job anyway) and lots of free time to do nothing. It sounds fun but doing nothing all day gets old pretty quickly. I used to pick up books from the Borders across the street regularly and one day, I finally broke down and bought the first HP book. After reading the first few pages, I was hooked. And I raced through the next 3 books that same week.

The HP world has been a part of my life since then. That’s 6 years of re-reading the series, speculation and discussion, impatient anticipation for the next installments and midnight release parties. It just doesn’t seem real that Harry’s story is over. Well, at least there’s always the last 2 movies! They’re not nearly as good as the books but I love them just the same.

I feel so lucky to have been a part of the HP phenomenon. As soon as I got home with Deathly Hallows, I knew that millions of people around the world were doing the exact same thing I was. I find that freaking incredible, you know? Anyway, I sat down to type up my thoughts on DH and I’ve totally went off on a random tangent, lol.

Here goes.

I loved it. But you knew that. It was an absolutely engaging story from beginning to end…

Things I Didn’t Care For
1. Draco’s story. It was a little disappointing. I’ve always found him to be a fascinating character. I never thought he was actually evil… he was certainly taught to be but I don’t believe that he shared the same conviction as his parents. After HBP, I felt like he was going to make a choice for one side or the other. Or at least he had the set up to do so. But nothing really happened to him. He’s not entirely good but not entirely evil. Meh.
2. Ginny. I used to like her just fine but the H/H shipper in me has developed irrational hate. Sorry. :/ Plus, I kinda think she’s a little *too* perfect.
3. Snape’s redemption. Now don’t get me wrong, I actually really loved his backstory but I think it came too late for me to feel bad for him or to really dwell on the impact of his sacrifices.
4. Inter-house unity theme being dropped at the end. That was an important thread running through the book and it was seemingly squashed in the epilogue. UGH.
5. Aaahhh, the epilogue. Yeah, I could have done without it. I would have at least liked to find out what the other characters were up to (Luna, Dean, the Professors at Hogwarts, the other Weasleys, etc). Plus, I feel like the final chapter was so intense and powerful that the epilogue just felt tacked on. It just didn’t pack the same emotional punch. For me, anyway. I guess I’ll have to settle for JKR’s post-HP interviews like this one to find out what happened to everyone.

Deaths
1. Hedwig. UGH. Stab to the heart right from the start. (I rhymed!)
2. Dobby. *sob* I’ve always been a bit indifferent to Dobby (he was so annoying in CoS though I loved his devotion to Harry). But OMG… his death made me unbelievably sad. And Harry burying him just about killed me.
3. Fred. I had a feeling one of the Weasleys was going to die. I just wish it wasn’t one of the twins. :/ Percy would have been okay. Oh, just kidding.
4. The 3 above were the ones that really pained me… the deaths of Mad-Eye, Tonks, and Lupin, while still sad, didn’t really affect me the same as the others. I guess I almost expected their deaths. Maybe not the exact characters, per say, but I knew going in that there would be a fair amount of deaths in DH. Plus, I just don’t really have the same emotional connection to them. Well, maybe Lupin. He’s a big reason why I love PoA so much.
5. Snape. I think he’s an absolutely intriguing character. And I love him for that. But I can’t reconcile his actions with his motivations. I know he was working with Dumbledore because of his love for Lily but it just doesn’t seem enough to explain away the horrible things he’s done and how he’s made Harry feel during the series. I’m not surprised by his death, though, and I think it was necessary for his sacrifices to really mean anything.
6. The Baddies — Wormtail, Bellatrix, and Voldemort. Their deaths were just a matter of time so nothing unexpected there. I did like the circumstances surrounding each of their deaths, though. Very appropriate for each of them. Sounds horrible but it’s true.

Moments/Things I Loved
1. Anything Harry-related. He’s my favorite character in the series and he was seriously inspirational in this book.
2. Dudley thanking Harry for saving his life.
3. Neville’s always kind of flown under the radar for me until these last few books… he’s really become a brave, confident young man and I’m so glad he had the chance to play an important role in the battle. I loved when he pulled Gryffindor’s sword out of the Sorting Hat and then killed Nagini. I do have to admit that a small part of me wanted him to finish off Bellatrix. Molly killing her was just as sweet, though,
4. Potterwatch! That was awesome.
5. Snape’s relationship with Dumbledore.
6. Kreacher making treacle tart for Harry and later, rallying the house elves for the Battle. YAY Kreacher!
7. Pansy Parkinson pointing out Harry when Voldemort demands his surrender and all the other houses come to his defense.
8. The Marauders (+ Lily) walking with Harry to face Voldemort. This gave me chills.
9. Narcissa covering up for Harry after asking about Draco.

But probably my favorite moment was the following…
Hermione had taken his hand again and was gripping it tightly. He could not look at her, but returned the pressure, now taking deep, sharp gulps of the night air, trying to steady himself, trying to regain control. He should have brought something to give them, but he had not thought of it, and every plant in the graveyard was leafless and frozen. But Hermione raised her wand, moved it in a circle through the air, and a wreath of Christmas roses blossomed before them. Harry caught it and laid it on his parents’ grave.

As soon as he stood up he wanted to leave: He did not think he could stand another moment there. He put his arm around Hermione’s shoulders and she put hers around his waist, and they turned in silence and walked away through the snow, past Dumbledore’s mother and sister, back toward the dark church and the out-of-sight kissing gate.

Yes, it’s shippy — SORRY! I love them so.

I think I’m going to do a re-read.

That was me after picking up Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last night. I’m wearing my Harry Potter track jacket (it’s similar to his triwizard robes in the GoF movie) and my Gryffindor scarf. HEE. But uhhh, please excuse my greasy face. My friends and I checked out the midnight release party but there wasn’t anything going on that captured our attention so we came back to my apartment and played Harry Potter Scene It? until about 11:15 when we went back to Borders to get in line to buy the book. SQUEE. The line went super fast and Rob and I were home by 12:30. (We live right across the street from Borders). Of, course, I cracked the book open right away.

And I finished it tonight. But don’t worry, no spoilers here… I’m going to wait a bit to let the finality of the series sink in and then I’ll post my thoughts. Maybe tomorrow.

For now, an HP meme courtesy of Sarah…

Favorite Book: Goblet of Fire. I just love the Triwizard tournament and the Yule Ball. Prisoner of Azkaban is a *very* close second.
Favorite Character: Harry. I can’t help it. ILUFFHIMSO.
Favorite Movie: Prisoner of Azakaban. So far, it’s been my favorite interpretation.
Favorite Spell: Expecto Patronum. The idea of your happy thoughts acting as a a protector against dementors is just so hopeful.
Favorite Couple: Harry and Hermione. I know it’s not canon. But their relationship touches me just the same.
Favorite Magical Building: Hogwarts.
Favorite Magical Creature: House-elves.
Favorite Non-Human Character: Hedwig!
Favorite Scene: This isn’t fair… there’s so many! Off the top of my head… all the Time-Turning scenes and learning about the Marauders in PoA, St. Mungo’s and Dumbledore’s Army in OotP, the Yule Ball in GoF… I’m sure there’s tons more.
Favorite Family: Well, the Weasleys, of course!
Favorite Class: Charms.
Favorite Movie Scene: Again, I have a few… when the trio first meet on the Hogwarts Express in SS, the Gryffindor boys eating candy in their tower on their first night back at Hogwarts in PoA, Harry asking Cho to the Yule Ball in GoF, and all the Dumbledore’s Army scenes in OotP.
Favorite HP website: Don’t really have one. Though I do always go to The Leaky Cauldron for news… it’s too bad the site layout is awful and loads so slowly.
Favorite House: Gryffindor!
Favorite Bad-Guy: Draco Malfoy.
Favorite room in Hogwarts: Gryffindor Common Room.
Favorite Teacher: Professor McGonagall.
Favorite Ministry Employee: Kingsley Shacklebolt. Or Tonks.
Favorite Ministry Department: Department of Magical Games and Sports? Or maybe the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Favorite Magical Transportation: Apparition.

I’ve decided to re-read the entire series before diving into Deathly Hallows this weekend. I’m currently on Goblet of Fire.

So I’m sitting here at work (shhh! don’t tell!) thinking about the differences between Order of the Phoenix movie and the book. I know they had to cut a lot out due to time but I would have loved to see:

– The Howler Dumbledore sent to Aunt Petunia (REMEMBER MY LAST, PETUNIA!)
– St. Mungo’s
– Snape’s worst memory (ok ok, I know this was in the movie but I would have liked to see MORE of it — and with Lily too)
Other thoughts:
– Was it just me or was Mrs. Figg totally… off? She completely didn’t match what I had envisioned.
– I don’t care for Michael Gambon’s interpretation of Dumbledore. He doesn’t understand the character. At all. I didn’t notice it much in PoA or GoF but it was pretty jarring in OotP.

Ok, back to work…