Guess who was one of the first to get their hands on Harry Potter book 7?

Last night, I ate in a Japanese restaurant (Omakase in Eastwood City) with my friends (from work) Jonah and April (and April's friend). Then we watched the fifth Harry Potter movie. I know a lot of people who don't like this latest cinematic adaptation of Harry Potter, but I loved it! Am I too easy to please? Maybe. But I thought the Harry Potter 5 movie was awesome. :) It was very entertaining and I believe it captured the spirit of the Harry Potter series and the spirit of the fifth Harry Potter book. That part with the Death Eaters fighting with the Order of the Phoenix - swirls of black and white mist intertwining and fighting... That was an awesome visualization of the classic good versus evil theme! And when Harry says to Voldemort, "You're the weak one. You will never know love or friendship. And I feel sorry for you." Woohoo! That is IT right there! For me, that is the best part of the movie. That is the number one thing that made the movie worth watching. :) There was only one disappointing thing about the movie: it did not portray Harry's anguish after losing his godfather. At the end of Harry Potter book 5 I could feel Harry's pain from losing Sirus Black. Hardly any mourning was expressed in the movie. I mean, come on, the main character loses the only family he has left to the forces of evil and the effects are not shown? That was an important part of book 5, maybe the most important part.

This morning my friend (from work) Grace called a little before 6:30 to wake me up. The bookstores opened 7 a.m. just for Harry Potter book 7. (People were also able to reserve their copies by paying part of the price ahead of time. I reserved my copy two weeks ago.) I know the bookstores open midnight in the US and UK for the book but I am in a time zone several hours ahead so woohoo! I got to the Katipunan branch (I live a 5 minute walk away) of National Bookstore a little before 7:30 and there was a very long line for Harry Potter book 7. (Grace told me through a text message that she was there 6:35 and the line was already long. People do not line up like this for other books. Hahaha.) While waiting for my turn I chatted with the other Potter fanatics in line. Complete strangers connected by Potter mania. :) We felt united. We were excited and emotional. :) (Will the world ever experience this kind of publishing phenomenon again? We are studying the publishing industry in my MA class and really, in the history of publishing the Harry Potter series really stands out.) When it was my turn, when they put my copy in my hands and I felt its weight and saw its cover, my heart fluttered. Literally my heart was flying around in my chest. What a wonderful feeling! And now I'm off to watch the Harry Potter 5 movie again. Oh happy day! :)