All anyone's talking about is HP

       The childhood series that we grew up with is "over." And while I wasn't such a big fan of books 5, 6, and 7 upon reading them the first time, I have to say the characters still grew on me until they died on me in the last book. 
       Courtney and I, of course, went to the midnight showing of the last release for Harry Potter! Our friends waited in line all night for tickets -Check out a terrible photo of our "campsite" here! - only to find out that people could buy them online as well and so the balcony sold out in 45 seconds. Luckily, our parties still got seats, but not together, which sucked. Somehow, Court, her bf, and I all managed to get some of the best seats in the house - front and center balcony!!!!!!
       I was working on my brother's t-shirt quilt (a gift that he has been waiting patiently for almost 2 years to receive, oops) when I get a call from my loverly friend telling me to get my butt over to our mutual friends house because it is already 10pm and arriving at the theater less than 2 hours before is almost sacrilegious. I was planning on rolling up around 11:30, but whatever. So, quick as a bunny, I ran to my closet, grabbed my graduation gown, a doc. hood (I got it for $1 at a college surplus sale) and my brother's tie-snake and jumped in my car as "Voldemarta!"
       After scaring the crap out of my friend who answered the door, we headed for the theater. Being in the balcony for the first time was pretty awesome (huge warmed seats, waitstaff, and a great view was worth the exorbitant price for this particular show). It is the last HP, after all! Talking and catching up with friends before the movie was great and the two pre-show performances were weird, as usual (starwars and harry potter battle -WTF?!- and an Okie "magic" act.) 
      If you missed the first 7 movies (1-6 and 7 part 1), here is a good recap in 7 minutes- best part are the "we have no idea" moments:

       The movie was WONDERFUL! It wasn't like the book at all - I just reread the second half of 7 about 3 days ago - but it was a great movie. Full of wonderful memorable moments, epic wand duels, saddening deaths, and a showdown between HP and Voldemort. If you go with a hazy memory of the books, you will be left happy for sure. For me, some plot elements were lacking a bit, but the screenplay did a good job to gloss/rearrange certain elements. And visually,  it was excellent- dark, saturated with color, and special effects. This was set to an interesting, well-thought out soundtrack (according to Courtney). You should definitely check it out while it is in theaters!
        Though nostalgic that this chapter in our lives has ended, it was about time. My generation is about to start our journey on to a new chapter, grad. school or careers and that, to me, is just as scary as Lord Voldemort. We still have so much to look forward to as a people and I'm sure the next big book is out there, waiting to strike love into the hearts and minds of a generation of people. And I kinda hope it is me and Court who write it...... ; )

A children's classic, retold