Happy Birthday to a Very Special Wizard!

On this day, 21 years ago, a little boy was born with amazing powers that would vanquish the evil in this world. This power was love. Happy Birthday Harry Potter!

Is it weird to think of my life without Harry? Duhhhhhh. The first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, came out in the US in 1998, when I was three, and my brother was six. It wasn't long after this, maybe a year, maybe more, when my brother became interested, and my mom began reading them aloud to us. I, quite literally, grew up with Harry coming to life from the pages of the book cradled in my mom's hands at my bedside, my brother nestled under her arm.

My very first mental picture of the Harry Potter world? A house, much like the one I live in today - a small ranch with a spacious backyard - and a modern motorcycle landing on the street in front of my house, the man (who looked suspiciously like the red power ranger) grabbing a baby, and flying off with him.

Of course, my imagination has grown considerably since I was four, and with the aid of the Harry Potter movies, I now have a wonderfully rich place in my mind that I can live in when I find myself wanting to be more... magical. Man, it sucks being a muggle, doesn't it?

So anyway... Harry would be 21 today, if we are considering that the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, came out in 2007. In this book, he was, of course 17. It's interesting to think of the things Harry would be able to do today in the muggle world. Buy alcohol. Buy a lottery ticket. Gamble. I wonder how that would go for him, or if it would all bore him because of his much more interesting wizardly pursuits.

......Hmmm........

It'd probably bore him. Oh well. Happy Birthday anyway, Harry!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Accessible Seating

Two days after the release of the last Harry Potter movie, my wonderful friends and I finally made it to the theatre to see it. One of my friends has a broken metatarsal and because of her cast, is in a chair. Another one of my friends has a sprained (possibly broken) ankle and because of the extreme pain, is in a chair. My friend's boyfriend recently had surgery on his foot and because of his cast, is in a chair. Because of my crippling disease (say it with me... "duhhhhh-zeeeze"), I am in a chair.

I am guessing that the majority of you, not being in chairs, and not being all too bright, have never really noticed the accessible seating, or lack thereof, at a movie theatre. In my town, in a typical theatre, there are two spots for people in chairs. Two. Four of us were going to the theatre in chairs. Did this mean we would have to pile on top of each other? Massive orgy, perhaps? Sadly, no.

Thankfully, we had another friend with us that was perfectly capable on her own two feet, and was able to help my two friends and my friends boyfriend into a movie seat. She then proceeded to move the three chairs off to the side. And of course, because it was Harry Potter, the theatre was packed anyway, so we had to sit in the very very very front row.

Now. Harry Potter. You are wondering if I liked it. Well of course. It is, after all, Harry Potter, one of my dearest loves. However, I was slightly disappointed, as I am with every movie, because it does not follow the book. For example, Snape was never fully explained! And Harry's grand coming-back-to-life was nowhere near as glorious as in the book. Alas, it was still Harry Potter. And I do find myself slightly sad that there will be no more... :(

The question is, will J.K. Rowling write more books about Harry and Ginny's son, Albus Severus? Look here to find out! http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/19959323/ns/today-wild_about_harry/t/finished-potter-rowling-tells-what-happens-next/