Harry Potter madness!
I have to admit it - I’m a huge Harry Potter fan. When the lines open at 9:01am Saturday (Australian local time) I’m going to be there with the, er, youthful readers, then rush home, ignore my PhD and start absorbing this wonderful world. Of course, I have to go out at 10:00 or something ridiculous, but I’ll make a start at least! 
I don’t know what it is about the books that are so appealing - I confess that part of it’s the way that the magic really is like science, and yet magical at the same time. It has rules and restrictions, but it doesn’t get bogged down or restricted by it, like it otherwise might. I also just love the wizarding world J.K. Rowling has created, and all the brilliant little quirks in it, and the way she translates “real life” problems into their wizarding world equivalents - some things are simpler, some are not.
But perhaps the best thing is that feeling like it could almost be true - it’s just possible that there really are wizards out there, and you might wake up tomorrow to discover that you’ve got an invite (however late) to Hogwarts…well, maybe not, but it certainly contributes to a ripper story!
That said, however, the secrecy surrounding the Book 6 release is reaching epidemic proporitions! After the accidental (?) sale of a couple of books before Saturday, a courty order was actually issues prohibiting the lucky book holders to distribute, talk about or even read the book! That’s pretty full on! Still, as someone said, this is the book equivalent of Star Wars - and we all know the kind of stink the movie industry kicks up over leaked movies. So why not books, hey?
Anyway, what with the new release, with just rereading the series (I finished book 5 on the plane back from Townsville) and all these trips, I’m going to have to really nuckle down to my PhD!!!
Chrysanthea Says:
Hey! I saw you at UQ today at the science thing. I was the girl from Somerset College…Let me just say, you rock, because you like Harry Potter. My friend and I are going to get to the book store at 4am, just to get a good spot. I hope we’re first, fingers crossed. Happy reading!
By the way, I didn’t get to see any physics lectures during our visit and I’m interested in doing a physics related course. Would doing a physics course be really hard? Would you have any advice
Thank you.
P.s - HARRY POTTER ROCKS!!!
Joel Says:
Hi! Whoa - 4am is very committed! Then again, I was lined up from 8pm for the Star Wars midnight screening…there’s something fun about lining up for something like this, isn’t there?! Good luck being first! (Where are you going to buy it from?)
As for physics lectures, physics courses definitely aren’t easy - perhaps I’m biased, but I’d say first year physics is probably one of the hardest courses our there. That said, you learn heaps in it, and that makes it very rewarding. There’s lots of support and tutorials for you to go to, including a lunchtime one where you can go and eat your lunch and ask questions of the tutor as she/he wanders around the room, which is very helpful. Provided you do all the tutorial sheets during semester, and keep up with the material, you’ll be fine for the exam.
The only other catch is that some parts of the first year physics course are a little dull - but this is changing as the course gets better. And, anyway, it’s still essential stuff and it forms the basis for doing quantum mechanics and special relativity in second year, which is fascinating! I always found it quite exciting to be able to describe so many “natural phenomena” and solve them after just one year of physics!
I hope that helps - let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to know.
Happy Harry Potter Day tomorrow!
Chrysanthea Says:
Jesus(sorry) it was so good. I finished it on Saturday morning(2.am) It was so sad.
In the end, we didn’t get their at 4, we got there at 5 :(. The alarm didn’t go off and we were upset, although no one was there until 7… but thats ok! We were first, yay! We went to QBD because we previously won a Harry Potter Quiz and we got the book free. Where did you get yours? We also got free candy from the woman because we answered questions too. (But how hard is ‘What place did Ron take on the chessboard?’)
Anyway, thanks for the advice, I hope it’ll help. Happy birthday for whenever and keep reading if you haven’t finished!!
+*+Witch+*+ Says:
Chaz.. the book didn’t come out until Saturday morning at 9.01am, thus how could you finish reading the book at 2 am the same morning??
Yay go the Harry Potter Quiz!! Do they really think we don’t know Hermione’s last name??
A few questions I wouldn’t mind opinions on…
— Moved to the above thread!
Cya!
+*+Witch+*+
YAY! GO HARRY POTTER! ONLY 1 DAY, 12 HOURS AND 36 MINUTES TO GO!! CAN’T WAIT UNTIL THE RELEASE!
btw, well done at UQ’s school science thingy today. I was the girl from somerset who asked what your name was… and if you have sharp eyes you would have seen my Harry Potter watch on my wrist.
+*+Witch+*+
P.S. HARRY POTTER ROCKS!
Ooh, I missed that (the HP watch!) But pretty neat! I’ve got a Harry Potter T-shirt that a friend made, “Winners don’t use rugs.” on the front, and “Nimbus 2000″ on the back - I’m going to wear it when I buy the book tomorrow! *grin*
Actually, it was for my 21st birthday party which was Harry Potter themed - I thought that the best way to celebrate the transition to adulthood (ahem) was by celebrating not growing up!
Let me know what you think of the book! I’ll be reading solidly over the weekend!