Harry Potter Mania - A First Hand Account!

TwoCents Reviewer, Breanna P, braved the crowds and headed off to experience the Midnight Mania for the release of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows. She shares her story with us below!

[Submitted by and Photos Courtesy of: Breanna P.]

NOTE: There are NO spoilers in this story!

The much-hyped release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has come and gone. Millions of readers now know the fate of the boy wizard after spending hours and hours sitting and reading the book in one sitting this past weekend. Others are waiting on finding out how the book ends because it is truly the end. There will be no more Harry Potter books to look forward to, no more guessing as to what will happen to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, no more theories about what may or may not happen to He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who. This is truly the end of the journey both for the characters in the series and the millions of readers across the world who adore J.K. Rowling’s stories about the Wizarding World in Great Britain. To mark this monumental occasion, bookstores and retailers all over held Harry Potter themed-events and parties before the midnight release on July 21, 2007. I was among the many who attended a fan event so that I could both obtain the book when it first came out and to see all of my fellow Harry Potter fans gathered together for one last book release.

I, along with my fellow HP fans, was at the biggest party for the release within a 50-mile radius in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Downtown Borders at the Sanbusco Center was marking the occasion with a large Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows party and book release. My friend, Hannah who works there, warned me that even though I had reserved a copy of the book weeks before, I would still need to come hours before the party began to get a colored wristband marking my place in line. Arriving promptly at 4:30pm, I “checked in” and received a silver band, placing me in the second section of book purchasers in line (I learned that over 150 people had already come in and received the orange wristbands designating their place in the first and elite group of fans who would be able to say that they were the first to get their copies of this much desired book). Instead of waiting around for another 5 hours until the party officially began, my mother, sister, and I went out to dinner and went shopping at other establishments to kill time. By 7:30pm, we had returned to Borders and saw many other fans were doing the same. By 9:00pm, the store was packed full of fans of all ages. Children and adults alike dressed as their favorite characters while others preferred to look like common “Muggles”.

Packed with hundreds of people aimlessly wandering the store waiting for the clock to strike midnight, I decided to celebrate by participating in the Harry Potter Spelling Bee. Although I was way older than most of the participants (but not the oldest thank you very much), I managed to get 4th place (misspelling the killing curse Avada Kedavra by one letter). The pre-teen girl who won was very deserving (she knew how to spell phrases I hadn’t even remembered from the books). After that, I, along with my mom and friends sat and read other sources to pass the time (and to escape from the growing number of arrivals who were all jammed together at the main entrance of the store). My friends, Dan and Drew were there dressed as Ron Weasley and a member of the Inquisitorial Squad, respectively (Dan’s Dad came as Dumbledore and was quite the photo op for fellow fans). We all bought light-up wands there and were running around “zapping” each other for a time. Although they much resembled their literary counterparts, Dan and his father lost the Costume Contest to a young Severus Snape and several ladies from the French school of Wizardry, Beauxbatons.

After the contest, people looked at their watches and realized that it was 30 minutes to midnight. Employees wheeled out carts of the books under purple sheets towards the registers (which was sort of neat, but everyone was wondering why the sheets since we had all seen what the books looked like). The hundreds of compacted fans became even more “close knit” as they were soon forced into a disorganized line. While those wearing the revered “orange” wristbands were ushered into a clear line near the cash registers, the rest of the customers were left to stand together crushed and determine for themselves where they would need to be once the line became official. About ten minutes after midnight, with many of the orange banded already having left with their books in tow, us “silver” banded fans were forced to be crushed together against the “Local Interest” books section.

A store clerk (not Hannah who had left with the “Orangies” since she had reserved her book way in advance), told us to form a single file line to who knows where. That was loads of fun. After we somehow did that, word of mouth spread that we people should be facing this certain area and soon, the silver-banded were allowed to move in a line around shelved of books towards the registers. I had made it into the middle of the section and was well on my way. As I was slowly moving forward, I saw that Dan and his father (who had decided to remove his Dumbledore attire and be a Muggle again), near the back of the line even though they had been waiting with me most of the time (eager fans pushed us all apart). As I passed, I let them in front of me since we all would have to drive an hour home (we live in another town and they would have had to wait even longer if they had stayed where they were). Within five minutes, we were all at the registers and got our books within minutes (the clerks were so nice and really fast, which was a blessing). I then met up with my mom (who has smartly decided to get her book at the grocery store in the morning) and my sister in our car (since they had departed from the store before the chaos erupted to wait for me). I got in the car, too tired to even glance at the book, got home an hour later and went straight to bed.

Since then, I read the book in one sitting on Saturday (it took 12 hours to do so and gave me a really sore neck), but the book and the entire surrounding experience at Borders was well worth it. I will never forget the bond that everyone who is a Harry Potter fan has formed with the series and with each other at these book releases. And if you have yet to read a Harry Potter book, I recommend doing so since, well, you’re really missing out.

My Quest for Indiana Jones 4!

Last night, I left my office, joined up with a few friends and headed out to New Haven, CT looking for our own Lost Arc, our own Holy Grail, hoping we didn't end up in a Temple of Doom!

We arrived in New Haven at approximately 6:50pm and drove down a main street, flanked by bars such as Temple Grill and The Playwright on one side and the mighty Omni Hotel on the other. Lining the sidewalk, leaning against the Omni, as if holding it up from falling, was an enormous line of people, looking for the same sacred prize as we were.

We park our Saturn a few blocks away, make our way through the rain drops and past the historic Shubert Theater, (which has housed many Broadway premieres before heading to New York such as "Oklahoma!", "The King & I" and "The Sound of Music") to take our place along the sidewalk outside a Stone Cold Creamery. At 7pm EST, we have officially reached the beginning of our journey - to be an extra in the next installment of Indiana Jones!

No sooner do we stake our claim to this small part of sidewalk, then a new group of hopefuls fills the spot behind us. We are no longer the end of the line, but securely within in the line.

News came out a while back about this open casting call (I read about it on TheForce.net) for people interested in being included in a scene from Indiana Jones 4. The scene is going to be filmed here in the next few weeks where Indy is chased on a motorcycle through the streets of New Haven and the Yale campus. The rules are simple, you have to be over 18 years old and bring a headshot (photo). Looking up and down this line, it seems everyone has visited the one-hour photo booth at either Target, Wal-Mart, or Walgreens as we all are armed with our cardboard envelopes holding our photos.

The casting call is Monday and Tuesday from 1pm - 9pm at the Omni Hotel. The line was so long at 11am on Monday, the casting company decided to open the doors early and take the line. It never stopped.

25 people at a time, they let people in the door, off the sidewalk and into the hotel. So, every 10 minutes or so, we get to move up another large square on the sidewalk. As the rain gets heavier, we are lucky to leave our space along side the Stone Cold and make our way under the awning of the Omni's valet parking area.

Police continue to walk up and down the block, this group however is cool, calm and collected. Everyone checking their watches and wondering how long this will take. People walk to the front of the line and come back with stories of yellow forms and more time sitting around once entering that magic door into the hotel. People get out of line to look back to see how deep the line goes now. An ambulance is parked in the street, chatting with a few of the police officers. All of a sudden a familiar tune comes from the speakers of the ambulance. An EMT inside has played John Williams' Theme from Indiana Jones and the crowd lets up happy recognition salute.

We walk up again. Stopping just before the exit of the Omni driveway where a large bouncer from within the hotel has the un-envious job of keeping the throng of movie hopefuls clear of this driveway.

Our watches continue to click away the minutes as that magic hour of 9pm and its end of the casting day gets closer. The locals of New Haven parade by our line. Some stopping to ask questions about what we're doing, some showing off their fancy juggling sticks and still some others just staring at us and making us all over uncomfortable.

All the local restaurants, looking to cash in, send out waitstaff with menus, t-shirts, offers of drink specials and more to the line. As 8:30 comes and goes, a waiter from the Black Bear Bar across the street is yelling up and down the street, in the now heavy rain, looking for someone named John who had phoned in an order to be delivered on the sidewalk.

Lightning streaks across the sky and the line is now hugging the walls of the Omni, attempting to stay beneath the small overhang of the building just as a member of the casting company starts to walk up the sidewalk telling people if they are local to please go home and come back tomorrow. They will start early, at 8am tomorrow to accommodate the large lines. My two friends turn to me, one tired from a late night on Sunday and the other ready to pass out from starvation. But we are so close. The end of the block and the corner of the Omni is within 20 steps. I refuse to meet their gaze and stare at the constantly illuminated sky. I will not turn back! Others were not as strong as the line behind us starts to peel off.

8:55pm and we turn the corner. 1/4 of a block from the door leading into the hotel. Will we make it? A member of the crew comes outside and starts counting people. I fear that he'll say, "Sorry, only the next 40 people will get in, the rest of you can go home." Here comes another member of the crew, oh no... she hands me a piece of yellow paper! I felt like a contestant on Idol who gets the yellow invitation to Hollywood. I've made it, I'll at least get inside! One of my friends hands out pens and we stand up against the wall to fill out our forms for the Genre Productions company.

One section for men, one section for women. Name, address, phone, email, etc. My weight, my height, my eyes/hair colors, my inseam, my pant length, shoe size, collar size, sleeve size, jacket size, HAT SIZE! Man. I have no idea on some of these. Do you play football, what level? Ummm, YES and College Intramural and Rec League? Sounds good to me. All men will receive a 1950s haircut. No problem. My hair is long and shaggy and I have a beard, but for Indy, it can all go. Would you cut your hair if cast? YES. The line moves up some more. I can SEE the door! Do you own a dog. No. Crap. I knew I should have gotten a dog. Other comments: 15+ years acting and previous film work. Sure, sounds good to me. Are you available for the end of June/beginning of July. You bet your sweet bippy I am!

Then it happens. The girl walks by, counts us again... "All of you, inside."

WE MADE IT IN THE DOOR!!

This isn't the grand door to the Omni, this is a back fire exit. It opens up to two flights of steps. We are ushered by another member of the Genre crew into a medium sized hotel conference room where we are seated in close rows. On the other side of the middle aisle he hands a post-it note with a 1 written on it to the first row over there. Don't know what that's about. A guy with spray green hair sits in the row behind the post-it note, seemingly excited about this. My friends and I sit there and make idle chit-chat. A girl in front of me is taking 10000000s of pictures with her cell phone. I stare down at the awful printed carpet. Why do they do that in hotels? One friend, the one with the pens, announces he's 'done'. Uh oh! We can't quit now! We just can't!

Here comes the dude who rules the post-it note! He takes the first two rows on that side of the room with him. Green-haired guy is very happy. 45 minutes or so pass and the post-it finally makes it to our side of the room. We are sitting in the third row and the Genre Post-It King hands it to the first row. He comes back and takes rows 1 and 2. We are so close! The post-it now gets handed to my friend on the aisle and we are next!

Right around 10pm Captain Post-it returns and we are off! But to where? Back in the hallway and another line to stand in. Half way down the line we meet a very nice lady sitting on a chair whose job it is to staple our headshots to the yellow forms. I ask, "Would they prefer a color or black and white photo?" She says, "They will take your picture again in there, so let's give them black and white and switch it up." So we did. Pictures? What goes on in that magic room!?

We are getting closer to the next door, and out of the 2nd door is my old friend with the green hair! This is going quick. We must be close! We enter the room and it's.... another medium conference room with tables (which now look like a Walgreens Photo Envelope graveyard) that we all walk around in a big semi circle to make it into yet another side room. About 20 minutes in this cattle line and the bright glow of the side room beckons!

My two friends go through the portal first and I am standing in the doorway, awaiting my turn. I survey the room. Three Genre folks with digital cameras and enormous stacks of yellow forms all around them are set up in the room. I suddenly hear my invitation to Hollywood... "Can I have the next in line please?".

I walk across the room over to a long table. Standing behind it is the same gentleman who walked up the street earlier in the evening begging people to go home. He says to one of the other camera-men "Is there still a line in the hallway?" "Yes" "Jesus, did they at least close the door downstairs?"

Oh no, my chance to impress someone at Genre and he seems as happy to be here as the elves at the top of Santa's workshop in "A Christmas Story". I can just hear him "COME ON KID! The store is closing!"

He takes my photo/form, looks up at me and says:
"Hello, how are you today Keith?"
"I'm very well today thanks, and you?"
"I'm doing great thanks."

He writes my initials on the form, hands it back to me with a big Sharpie KP on the top and I hold it against my chest as he snaps a digital photo of me. He takes the form back and looks at it a little.

"You'd be willing to shave and cut your hair?"
"I'd do anything for this. I'll look 15 if I do."
"Perfect. You been acting for over 15 years?"
"Yes, it's a passion."
"Perfect again. Thanks for your time. We are shooting in a few weeks, so you should hear soon if we need you".

And there you go. I was back out of the room, back down the hotel hallway, down the stairs and onto the rain soaked sidewalk where the line had been cut off and sent home while we were in Post-It land. It's over at 10:20pm. 3 hours and 20 minutes later my journey is complete.

Or is it?

Who knows if I will get to watch Indy race by on his motorcycle. But it's the journey that makes it worth it, isn't it?

My two friends and I walk off into the rain for beer and wings. It was a good night.

My Best Friend on the Weekend

They say it's the "Simple Things" in life that make it worth living. No other time is that more true than on the weekends. At least for me anyway. What are some of those simple things? Well, let's discuss.

First, is there a sound quite as lovely as that small 'click' when you lean over and switch the alarm button to OFF on the clock? Now I know that for you married people, people who work on the weekends, go to school on Saturdays and especially those of you with kids have forgotten this sound, BUT, when you do get the chance to make the magic click, doesn't it sound as true as any heavenly voice? The knowledge that your body will be able to rest itself as long as it needs on this day. Nothing or no one is waiting for you to be somewhere at a certain time. You just get to rest. Ah, I love that.

Second, showers without pain. Every weekday morning we wake up and what do we do? We pull our down comforters off, we take off all our clothes and stand in the freezing morning air waiting for the shower to warm up. How annoying it this? Why do we do this to ourselves? Well, for me it's the small amount of time I give myself between alarm and being in the office. The weekends, however, allow us the time to wake up, turn the heat up, crawl back under the blanket and wait for the shower to heat up. A quick exchange into the already warm water and it's like taking a swim in a tropical pool compared to the usual penguin plunge the other days. What's even better than this? Not HAVING to shower until later in the day, if at all! Have no plans? No shower! Just relax under those blankets, all warm and toasty, as long as you can! Glory!

My third joy of the weekends is that little picture up there. My DVR (Digital Video Recorder). It is the most wonderful invention I've come across in a very very long time. Take your cellphones, your PDAs, your laptops...you can have them, just give me my DVR. Many people think that DVRs hurt us, they make us watch way more television than we would otherwise. HA! I say it's a GIFT! DVR has given me a life. Rehearsals, school, family, going out with friends, I can do all these things without hesitation because I know my best friend is home, blinking that reassuring red message "recording". My friends in The Unit, The Office and in that crime lab in Las Vegas are going to be safe and sound and waiting for me. Saturdays I can take my time coming out of my weekend slumber and with the push of my little green button, I am surrounded by my imaginary friends on the television. Jack Bauer, Hiro Nakamura, Smash Williams, Liz Lemon, Det. Mac Taylor and the rest of the gang spend their time with me. DVR makes this all happen, and for that DVR, I love you!

Not to mention, watching television DVR STYLE means I don't have to know what the new car trend is, what the side effects of the purple pill are or what the preppy good looking people are wearing from The Gap this month. Commercials just whirl right by as I wait for my friends to reappear. Now, there is one caution with using the ole FF button on the DVR. That's the speed. My DVR allows up to 4x fast forward. That's just too much power. I can't handle it. If you go 4 speed and sneeze or breathe or blink too often you may miss it, you're back in the middle of a scene and have to reverse it back a little. Be careful of this people! Nothing can ruin an hour long program worse than watching the climatic scene in reverse because you didn't listen to me and chanced the 4 speed! You've been warned!

If you're interested, here's a peek inside the scheduled recordings of my DVR:

30 Rock, Friday Night Lights, CSI: NY, CSI, NUMB3RS, King of Queens, Studio 60, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Heroes, 24, The Black Donnellys, SNL, LOST, American Idol, How I Met Your Mother, Scrubs, The Unit, The Office and Entourage, Sopranos, Extras when they are back on HBO.

How about you? Do you use DVR/TiVO? What shows are the ones that you ALWAYS make sure you watch first on DVR? What should I add to my list? Are there any shows you still make sure you're actually live in front of the television every week to watch?