Fallen off the wagon OT

[Randy]

Hi there,

I guess I have fallen off the wagon as they used to say about 
alcoholics who stopped drinking but then start again.  I had not 
read any Harry Potter books or message posts since the beginning of 
2001, but when news of Book 5 came out....

I started reading aloud to Brian (oldest son age 9) from Book 4 
again.  He is now reading the rest of the book to himself.  He 
realized that he could do it all by himself.  

My first contact with HP was around March 2000, when my wife started 
reading Socerer's Stone aloud to my son.  She got me to start 
reading aloud to him in April 2000.  I started wanting to know what 
was going to happen next, so I had to read the book in secret after 
he went to bed.  By the end of April, I had read the three existing 
books at the time.  I was caught up in the excitement of July 2000 
and was active in the message list for the summer of 2000.  I tried 
to write a funny story called Harry Potter and the Bucket of Mud, 
but my work got in the way.  It was somewhat political (based on US 
election 2000) and was deleted from Fan Fiction.net.  Probably by 
some Republicans.


I wrote a couple of silly songs about HP fandom and have written 
several silly songs about other subjects including "OverFortyVille" 
sung to the tune of Margarittaville which was posted on a Jimmy 
Buffet song parody list.  If you are much younger than forty, the 
song makes no sense.  If not, it makes too much sense.

My claim to fame for HP was the song called:

"I am the very Model of an Adult Harry Potter Fan"
sung to the Gilbert & Sullivan tune

Most of my posts tend to wander from serious discussion to silly 
inane drivel.  I would obviously have cost my house dozens of points 
each semester due to inappropriate talking during class.

I am a mechanical engineer who works with electronics.  I have 3 
boys and a middleclass lifestyle that would bore most 
intellectuals.  I think Arthur Weasley and I have some things in 
common.  

I like to solve mysteries.  I have a nack for figuring out the end 
of movies somewhere in the middle.  My oldest brother does this also 
and says things out loud that spoil it for everyone else.  I usually 
keep things to myself.  I do believe that House Elves are the key to 
this entire series of books, and I am willing to chat about my 
theory with anyone who is interested.  I am most interested in HP 
books because the endings are very difficult to figure out and so 
many hints are included in previous books.  This is what makes 
reading fun!

I grew up reading Ray Bradbury books.  I still have a fondness for 
him.  The twist at the end of his short stories appeals to me.  My 
wife writes Romance stories.  I have not read them, but I believe 
all of her stories are semi-autobiographical and I'm the only guy 
she has time for.  So I must be something special. HA HA.  The wine 
must be talking now.  Anyway.... I look forward to the postings on 
this list.  I got out of the HP message groups when I could not keep 
up with all of the posts.  I hope to stay involved this summer while 
you discuss book 5.  IS it OOP or OOPS there goes another one....

I have been to France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria but 
never to England.  I hope to visit someday, and would very much like 
to meet some of those folks who live across the pond.  I have some 
friends in England who used to be coworkers and enjoyed discussions 
with them about England. My ancestors came to America from England 
in the 1600's from a town near the White Cliffs of Dover.  One day I 
shall visit there and drink lots of British ale.

I hope I have not been too boring here.  I will keep most of my 
posts much shorter than this one.

I will now disapparate.  POOOF!