Wingardium Leviosa, Expecto Patronum, Acio, and Expelliarmus - Some of My Most Favorite Words!!

I love Harry Potter. No, that's not a strong enough statement. I really, truly, absolutely and completely love Harry Potter, and the whole world his story created. The magic that exists within the pages of those books has filled my life with incredible joy from the moment I was introduced to them 18 years ago. For me, it was not so much reading the books (shocker I know), rather it was listening to the story told by the wonderful voice of Jim Dale. Listening to him bring my favorite characters to life is comforting beyond measure. All I have to do is pop in a tape, or cd, and in seconds I am instantly calm, happy, and lost inside this most magical and beautiful universe. 

I am lucky to have friends and family support my obsession and am the proud owner of much Harry Potter paraphernalia. T-shirts, blankets, jewelry, and car decals, it's all so spectacular, and I always want more! My desktop at work is rotating images of the book covers in different language. I have a magnet on my front door that says Hogsmeade. I just read an NPR story about the Diagon Alley attraction they are building at Universal Studios. Seconds later I just saw "19 Magical Finds at the Weasley's Joke Shop at Diagon Alley" on Buzzfeed (links to both are posted below). One of my all time dreams would be to go explore Harry Potter's world at Universal after hours with just me and my friends! I love looking at Harry Potter tattoos, and have seriously considered me getting one someday. And one day, I will go to Kings Cross Station and "run" at the wall between platforms 9 and 10. In my dream house I have a library, and one whole wall of shelves will be devoted to Harry Potter - books in hardcover, paperback, different languages and sets of first editions in those languages.

We all have something that makes us happy, gleeful, something that brings out our childlike spirit. For me the thing that does this most of all is Harry Potter. I know this post makes me sound completely "ridikulous", but I really don't care. My response to anyone who asks me if I can really love a series of books this much is...Always....

http://www.npr.org/2014/06/20/323844556/universal-bets-potter-fans-will-visit-orlando-for-diagon-alley

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/weasleys-wizard-wheezes