Less than 100 hours

It was 100 hours last night. I heard this on CNN because hey, if you really need to know the news, you listen to CNN.

I speak of the Harry Potter release.

Now, if you're not familiar with the goings on in the city of Duluth for Harry Potter books, sit right down and let me tell you a story.

Northern Lights Bookstore, an independant bookstore here in town, teams up with our local railroad museum for a kick ass midnight party. It was actually featured in Entertainment Weekly last time.

This time, it will also include a nighttime train ride.

Now, calm down...you know you're not supposed to get too excited...

My kids and I are going to the party and riding the train and getting the book and cd's but perhaps the most pressing question is not who will be killed but WHAT WILL WE WEAR?????

Now, as a former English major (that sentence makes me laugh every time I say it), I have many issues with JK Rowlings writing, I know that some scenes are totally lifted from other stories, I realize the names of some characters have all the subtlety of "being hit in the face with something heavy" (look up that sentence and similar ones in every book, you'll find them 5,000 times) and the review of the plot of former books (especially in books 3 and 4) can make you claw your eyes out. Also, I would like to know how much crack her editor was smoking when working on book 4...

Honey? I have literally sat down with that book in front of me and started crossing out unnecessary sentences. Consider it an attempt at literary weightloss. Obviously though, you were paid by the pound (ha ha, I meant book weight but it's a very accurate British statement).

But I still love the stories. And I think it's great that these are the books that my kids have grown up with. I remember reading the first book to my kids and now, my teenagers will join me for a late night party and costume blowout. It warms my cold, cold heart.

So, here is what I will be doing for the party. Can you guess who I will be?

I have already knitted my new nose...
I will be dyeing my hair (with real dye...it will last for awhile...)
I will be purchasing a shirt in which to embroider the name of a rock band often played on the WWN (Wizarding Wireless Network). Have I mentioned that I have never embroidered anything in my life? Have I mentioned that there are less than 100 hours before the party?

My daughter will be dressing up as a character only referred to but one that doesn't have any dialog (4th book).

My son doesn't know what he is going to be yet.

Oh, before I dye my hair, I will be going in for my passport photo...I don't need homeland security jerking my chain when my passport says I have brown hair and my photo shows I have ...mmm...a socially unacceptable hair color...