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Friday, June 29, 2007

Harry Potter

All of last week, Andrew and I trudged back and forth to work carrying the very same book. Andrew was obviously either very embarrassed or amused by this as he pointed it out virtually everyday.

We thought it was too funny, though, when we asked his parents to bring "Harry Potter 4" over with them (when they came to bring us our house key)--since we didn't explain what we meant by "Harry Potter 4," they brought over books 4 and 5, as well as the movie for number 4 (which is what we were going for).

So, there, in our house, were 3 copies of Harry Potter 5. The Heiss's, the library's, and ours. How absolutely...redundant?


With "Book Seven" coming out on July 21 (that is in 23 days--1 day before our due date), Andrew has finally convinced me to read the series. Up until this point, I am kind of proud to say, I have avoided reading the books. My excuse was that I just couldn't get into book 1, so Andrew convinced me to start with book 3, which was his personal favorite...until book 4, which was his personal favorite...until book 5. And you probably get the picture.

The little stink read just far enough ahead of me and dropped just enough sentences ending in, "Oh, wait! I can't tell you that yet!" that I just had to keep reading.

And actually, I will admit that I probably would have kept reading them even if he had not dropped those lures for me. It's a pretty intriguing story, really.

He was trying to have a discussion with me last night about the book, but because he's already done reading book 6 and I'm just starting book 6 he kept saying, "Oh! I can't tell you that!"

It was driving me crazy!

See, my mom and I like to know things before they happen. My mom will go so far as to read the ending of the book first. I don't think knowing the climax or any other little detail of the plot bothers us. In fact, I like to know the whole story and then watch the movie/read the book. Somehow it is more enjoyable for me because I don't have to sit there worrying about what will happen. I still worry...just not as much. My mom always tells me the plots of the books she's reading. I like knowing.

I tried explaining this to Andrew:

"You not telling me is like me telling you, see?"

He didn't get it. It bothers me as much not to know as it bothers him to have the plot spoiled. I think he just likes me asking what happens.

His plan is for me to go into labor as soon as we get Harry Potter 7 (he preordered it with his birthday money from Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Frank). That way he can be entertained while I am...well...

Perhaps he'll be able to calm me by telling me what happens.

8 comments:

  1. Never! You'll have to read!

    You can read HP7 in labor if you want to, silly...

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  2. NEVER read a good book during labor. I was trying to read a mystery (Agatha Christie) but had to put it down during every contraction. Bad idea, because I was dying to know what happened.

    Also Harry Potter/labor related: I finished HP6 mere days before Miriam was born. That was close.

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  3. And also, if anyone tries to give you the "read now while you can because when the baby comes you won't have time" line, please realize that they are liars. I read more books than ever when Miriam was tiny - while breastfeeding.

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  4. My mom is the same. She always reads about twenty pages, then skips to the end, and then reads the rest of the book. It drives Jason crazy. I also love Harry Potter. You did it right though. I started reading after the fourth book was out. Finished them in a week and then was like,"What, I have to wait a year for another one." Stink. Jason didn't start until after the fifth one. Now we are both anxiously awaiting the seventh. I ordered it using points off my credit card and then realized we'll be in Utah when it is released. Drat! Bridget is right...you have tons of time to read. More time then ever. When I just had Ezra I was reading about five books a week. Now even with Grace and Ezra I probably finish at least three. I could't imagine having that much time when I was in school and working. Jason is of course extremely JEALOUS! As for during the birth, Ezra we tried for natural and I wasn't reading anything. I was more thinking how much I disliked Jason at the moment. I as well put all the blame on him, full well knowing somewhere in the rational part of my brain that it one, takes two, and two, I was the one who really, really, realy wanted to get pregnant. When we had Grace I spent the time up until she was born quizing Jason on heart and lung path. Oh how romantic :)

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  5. My mom read a lot while she was breastfeeding, too, so I'm sure I'll find the time as well. That will be nice :).

    Sheesh, I'm not even in labor and I'm like, "Curse him for everything!" How am I going to be when I'm acutally in labor?

    But then, that was only one day--and my back was particularly painful. No cursings this morning.

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  6. I played Boggle on the computer during labor - that was a good distraction for me, at least as good as is possible when having painful contractions. And then my epidural kicked in and worked so well - it's totally worth it!! The resident doctor laughed at me because instead of feeling the pain of contractions I was complaining about being hungry... :)

    We're looking forward to HP7 too. I read the first couple in high school and then didn't read the others until the 6th was coming out. So I haven't had to wait for the books until this last one. ;)

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  7. Yay! Someone like me! I almost always read the ends of books before I'm finished. Then I go back to figure out how they got there. :) I'm an English major. It's something to do with enjoying the process of a book as much as the actual story. I do it especially when I'm reading books, the endings about which I'm particularly nervous. Even if something terrible happens at the end, I'm able to enjoy the book much more for knowing how it turns out. That said, I may not get around to HP7 for a while. So just let me know when Harry and everyone else are tragically murdered by Voldemort, would you?

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  8. I can't believe all these people who read the ending before the whole book! Sheesh, talk about instant gratification in this society!!!! No, I am kidding, but I do hate to know what the end of the story is, especially if I haven't read it for myself. I guessI kind of like the suspense....

    Shaille, you played boggle. That would have been a lot more fun than watching the stupid documentary on cabins in Alaska that I watched. :D

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