They're counting down in Times Square tonight.

[aruan]

All the Harry Potter controversy this week has been a blast.

-The shipping truck heist of almost 8,000 books outside a London distribution plant on Monday.
-J.K. Rowling suing the New York Daily News, where a reporter stumbled on a mistakenly shelved copy of Order of the Phoenix in a Brooklyn health food store, the first two pages and a synopsis of which ended up as the cover story on Tuesday. Apparently, the going rate for such indiscretions is $100 million. Note to self.
-A local girl and her mother finding not just books but the accompanying display in a Delray Walgreens on Wednesday morning and having the cheerful salesclerk sell the book to them with all assurances that it was just fine to do so. No doubt there was more done than the disappearance of the display by that afternoon, whatwith the threatened embargo against non-compliant retailers.
-Bookstores staying open all night and having sleepovers for fans.
-The signs being posted on the outside of the shrinkwrapped, boxed, and high security-ensured crates of books - Do Not Open Until 06/21/03 or the Curse of the Phoenix Will Be Upon You!

The excitement that these books have generated in kids is just amazing to see, watching three or four of them clustered around a single book, taking turns reading out loud. The Time article mentioned reading level jumps of two to four grades, of austistic and remedial kids coming to love books because of this story. Rowling said that Harry "just kind of strolled into [her] head fully-formed" during a train ride. The whole phenomenon is, as cliched as it may be to say, almost magical. I can't wait for tonight, to experience firsthand the kind of unique excitement of this, a book premiere.

Comments

[without-me.livejournal.com]

You know, I really have no interest in Harry Potter. But I do have to tip my hat to anything that gets kids that excited about reading (and reading at a level high enough to be interesting to adults I respect). So, yes. I hope the author enjoys her riches to the fullest.

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Amen to that. I was amazed at the things I read in the article - it made me sniffle first thing in the morning! That all this hoopla is over a book, a book that among other things, should intimidate most adults (much less its intended child audience) by sheer heft alone. With all the dismal statistics one comes across about education (particularly public education) in this country, it's so encouraging to see these books and reading embraced on such a national (hell, worlwide) level.

[giddyupnow.livejournal.com]

Hey, girlie! Okay, I just bought my tickets, like, right this minute. Here's the info:

Departure
American Airlines Flight 1963
Departing: Los Angeles Intl. (LAX) Thu, 07/17/03, 7:04AM
Arriving: Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Intl. Airport (FLL) Thu, 07/17/03, 3:08PM

Return
American Airlines Flight 854
Departing: Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Intl. Airport (FLL) Mon, 07/21/03, 7:05PM

Will that be okay?

Also! Striptified! Tonight! Heeee!

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Those are fabulous times. We'll even have a chance to get in some of the local stuff!

And whee! I'm so glad you got to go! And Justin singing Gone! My first live performance of Gone! *mwah* Hope you had the most amazing time of anyone there, darling.

[giddyupnow.livejournal.com]

Yay for local stuff! Yeah, I was hoping there'd be a way to fit in some non-Challenge stuff, and this seems to work out perfectly. Plus give us some leeway time on Friday getting down there.

Oh! Speaking of which, do you think it'd be okay if Alicia drove down with us to Miami, since she's flying into FLL Friday morning? I figured the company would be nice and I know you know her, so... :-)

Gone! How much did you catch? I was having trouble figuring out when my phone went out, with the darkness and all. But I caught it all on tape, so all is not lost :-) And yeah, it *was* amazing. All of it.

And finally! So... remember how I said that my brother had gone to the Matrix premiere? His friend got them tickets, so they got swag and were in the line and the entire deal. So we were talking today and he mentioned he had photos. I demanded to see them right away, then upon seeing a few choice ones, confiscated them for scanning. Because guess which two identical actors he snapped a closeup picture of while they were being interviewed? *g* I berated him for a full twenty minutes for running out of film before JC and Lance arrived.

E: "You mean the one with the floppy hair is... JC? Not Justin?"
Me: "No, Justin shaved his head."
E: "Huh. He's shorter than I thought."
Me: "And Lance is the blond spikey one with the gigolo shirts."
E: "Ahhh, yes, I remember him. They passed by. Individually. No, I don't have photos."
Me: *SMACKS him upside the arm* (well, I was actually aiming for his head, but he ducked in time...)
E: "Dude, that hurt."

So. Look for photos to come *g*

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

More than happy to have her along. All about meeting more fangirls.

I didn't catch too much of Gone - the intro, then up to about "was it something I said" because I remember singing the rest myself and making it home just as I was finishing up. But eee! Thanks for calling, it was absolutely marvy.

You should ask your brother if Lance made any vibey-impressions on him. But whee! My twins! And here I thought Euro!Sync would be my ticket to ride - these two are related! But look at that photo. I mean, lordy, just look! *does so*

Mmm. And apparently, as guilt by association would have it, I'm being taken for my first strip club experience tonight. ...what does it say about me that I'd rather be reading? *g*

[giddyupnow.livejournal.com]

I asked him about the vibey thing for you :-) His respnse was, "Erm, well, they *all* seem kinda gay to me, but..." So there ya go. Heh.

Photos are up! :-D