The hottest day of the summer so far...
I've heard the phrase "The hottest day of the summer so far" so many times today I'd normally have been ready to slap the next person who mentioned it.
Except for one thing. Harry Potter.
Order of the Phoenix starts with the line "The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence hung over the large, square houses of Privet Drive"
This means that every time a customer trotted that line out I was drawn back into those heady pre OotP days when a few snippets had been released - including the first paragraph - and the internet was alive with speculation. In fact, forget the internet (*gasp*). Everywhere I went, everything I did was accompanied by frenzied discussion. Ideas were discussed, loved, loathed, scoffed over, derisively laughed down, turned into fan fiction, etc etc. Every character was dissected, turned inside out, researched, quoted, mis quoted etc etc.
It was FUN. It was unknown and it was all encompassing. Seriously. My life revolved around it.
And that first chapter works so well. The oppressive heat making everything still and tense. Creating a physical atmosphere of expectation and waiting. The exact thing that is happening plot wise.
So, yes. Customers, passers by, family and friends, all had a get out jail free card on the endless discussions of the weather today because it made me happy. It also made me very much want to re read OotP. I don't have time to do that at the moment (because it would feel wrong to dip in halfway through and would have to be done from the beginning) but a re read has moved much higher up my to read list.
The hottest day of the summer so far is drawing to a close and I'm in a happy and meditative mood. Hurrah!
Life is good. Even if it IS too hot.
Except for one thing. Harry Potter.
Order of the Phoenix starts with the line "The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence hung over the large, square houses of Privet Drive"
This means that every time a customer trotted that line out I was drawn back into those heady pre OotP days when a few snippets had been released - including the first paragraph - and the internet was alive with speculation. In fact, forget the internet (*gasp*). Everywhere I went, everything I did was accompanied by frenzied discussion. Ideas were discussed, loved, loathed, scoffed over, derisively laughed down, turned into fan fiction, etc etc. Every character was dissected, turned inside out, researched, quoted, mis quoted etc etc.
It was FUN. It was unknown and it was all encompassing. Seriously. My life revolved around it.
And that first chapter works so well. The oppressive heat making everything still and tense. Creating a physical atmosphere of expectation and waiting. The exact thing that is happening plot wise.
So, yes. Customers, passers by, family and friends, all had a get out jail free card on the endless discussions of the weather today because it made me happy. It also made me very much want to re read OotP. I don't have time to do that at the moment (because it would feel wrong to dip in halfway through and would have to be done from the beginning) but a re read has moved much higher up my to read list.
The hottest day of the summer so far is drawing to a close and I'm in a happy and meditative mood. Hurrah!
Life is good. Even if it IS too hot.