What would have been different in your life if you never read Harry Potter?

[potioncat]

Alla wrote:
>
> I wanted to post this on Main, but realised just in time that this 
> could go quite off topic, so here we go.

Potioncat:
Good thing you did. I'm going to bring in TMTMNBN.
> 
> What would have been different in your life had Harry Potter books 
> never existed? It does not have to be anything monumental, I mean 
> these ARE just books, but any change will do.

Potioncat:
I could just cut and paste from other posts. Like Carol, I've spent 
time on HP that should have been used for more more important thngs.  
Like BBoy, I consider it stimulation for the mind. I've been a stay-
at-home mom for years, I can use all the stimulation I can get! (And 
my HP posts began to suffer once I went back to work.) Like Zginius, 
I began writing fiction again. 

My husband considers it my hobby and my kids love to tease me about 
being a Potter-head. I do tend to let it take over, so from time to 
time I leave for a few weeks. 
> 
> Would you have remained clueless about some information have you 
never 
> read the books?

Potioncat:
I've been reminded of legends and myths; of history. I've seen how 
something can be viewed so differently by different people.("oops") 
I've learned about literary styles and techniques. 
> 
> Would you have never met someone special while getting involved in 
> fandom?  Would your shelf of the books that you are rereading 
> constantly just had fewer books on it?

Potioncat:
I've met lots of people that I've enjoyed spending time with, many 
that I consider friends. The trick will be to work on the friendships 
beyond HP. I sort of envy those who have been able to meet each 
other, or to attend HP events.

As to the MTMNBN...my youngest son has a form of Autism and also 
speech problems. When he was younger, I generally had to translate 
his speech for others. (when I could.) He was becoming interested 
in "theater and movies" about the time the first or second movie came 
out. 

We went from listening to Snape's potions speech and saying "Who is 
that Rickman guy?" to renting Galaxcy Quest to figure out who the 
heck he was in that movie. That led to discussions about how actors 
become different characters. Which led to renting Branaugh's "Henry" 
(IV or V?) which led to the CD "When Love Speaks." Oh, I can't 
remember how old he was, but this little kid and I were listening to 
Shakespeare's sonnets as read by Aunt Petunia, Wormtail, Ollivander 
etc, etc....

And my son did a portion of Hamlet's soliliquey on stage in summer 
drama camp when he was still very young. (He's 13 now) Using James 
Earl Jones and Alan Rickman as actors who had speech difficulties for 
inspiration, Michael's speech is now very clear. (For the record, 
we've since discovered that Alan Rickman did not have speech problems 
as a child.)

And once again, I'm deep into my HP world when I should be getting 
kids off to school! Forgive all the spelling errors, please!

Potioncat