[HPFGU-London] Getting to know you...

[BEN LEIGH]

*** Name and nicknames
Ben Bebnionic on AOL messanger

*** Age
29 (possibly the youngest of the group judging by the posts!)

*** Birthplace/Home
Born in London UCL hospital Live in Mill Hill North West London

*** Family
I'm single and Im living at home with my parents. I have a younger brother
and sister Jonny 21 and Lizzy 19,my brother is at univeristy studying
computing, my sister has just completed a year out touring Austrailia and
will be starting a course on Psycology in Nottingham in September.

*** Work/Study
College qualifications in Business and finance foundation and intermediate
levels. went to Leeds at studies HND Business Information Technology. I now
work in the civil service at DTI as a correspondence manager dealing with
people's letters of complaints on the postal services, Internet and spam
issues, energy and electrical issues and general e-commerce issues.

*** Anything else you'd like us to know?

I'm also a keen book reader, but HP bookss rule! I'm also profundly deaf and
use a Cochlear Implant to hear, this is a completely differnt story in
itsself and won't bore anyone with the details here! I communicate orally so
won't effect our meeting plans or my abitlity to watch and enjoy the film!

*** HP fandom history
My Mum brought the world of Harry Potter to my attention in 1999 when POA
was released that year, she had read a review in the paper and suggested I
brought and try the first HP this I did and immediatly became hooked as
could not put the book down, so went out and brought books 2 and 3 and read
them to death and povoured books 4 and 5 when they came out!

I have all the books on audio tape and have books 4 and 5 in paper back and
hard back,HP ferver was so great in the household (my mum and sister both
love the books but arn't a obsessed with HP as I am) I ended up buying two
copies of OOtP.

My favourite characters no doubt is our main star Harry, I loved Tonks in
the 5th book, she is so comical, I have taken a liking to Ginny since she
started talking more in book 5 along with the twins and their usual
mischivus ways.

I have the films on DVD can't wait for POA on DVD I do find that the DVD's
are aimed at kids and mens screens rather chlidish, but i own the DVDs
anyway. Fave film POA no doubt!  I have a couple of HP posters too.

*** Favourite reading

HP rules for me! tough I have enjoyed reading the wind on fire trilogy by
William Nicholson, I'm reading the 3rd in the series (firesong) my fave is
the first one the wind singer. I have been trying to get into philip pullman
his dark materials, but i find his books heavy going. I have also been
reading the lennony snickett books despite finding each and every
installment as predictable as the last. Have read some other books but
unable to recall which ones!

*** Favourite music
Chart pop music mainly late 80's early 90's stuff, pop has gone downhill
since mid 90's tough I occasinally listen to the radio and buy the odd
complaination.

*** Other interests

Recently have taken up running after training for and taken part in the
british open road 10k race london last sunday (1st Aug) in aid of
Nightingale and completing the 6.5 miles in 1 hour and 20 minutes, now to
beat that time and aim for a half marathon and perhaps attempt the london
marathon one year!

I enjoy going to the cinema to see other non harry potter films and have
seen a large number, too many to mention here the latest spiderman 2 and
shrek 2.

Was that too much information? , looks like i'm just as bad as Neil! (Ben)