Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Loveliness gained.

Do you ever have days where, even though you didn’t get a thing done you really needed to; meant to, they were simply scrumptious? Today is that for me.

I had had a nice cappuccino, and was doing a little of this and a little of that before I got down to the “meat” of the day. In the midst of this, the Harry Potter books read by Stephen Fry had finally downloaded.

First of all, yes I’m a Harry Potter geek. Here's the proof...

If you’ve been reading, you also know I’ve a thing for Stephen Fry. He’s just… kind, adorable, debonair, and seems Good. He’s not my usual type (and thank goodness, as he’s gay), but his honest, vibrant, and even gentle ways are so seductive. Anyway, as a result of this fixation, I’m finding out about all sorts of projects he’s involved in, like reading the Harry Potter books.

So this morning when the bubble popped up saying the download was complete, I thought, oh why not listen for a few minutes while I deal with these odds and ends. I thought ten minutes, tops, before I need to get on with it. Um. About three hours later, I'm still sitting there, wrapped. And grinning. The entire three hours – six chapters, mind – grinning! It was a bit of heaven. Utterly divine.

I mean, he IS British, so he can do the various accents. But beyond enjoying the stories I love read so well, knowing it was him gave my imagination leave to me picturing his expressions as he sat there reading.

I’m not someone who can usually do audiobooks because I’m an intensely visual person. For instance, I always have to take copious notes for a lecture to stick. You tell me directions I won’t have a clue what to do and will most certainly get lost, however, you write them down and I read it once through, I’ll nearly always remember. It’s just the way I’m wired.

But with these books it’s different. I’ve read them multiple times – more than any other books in my life, truth be told. Therefore I know the stories, have seen the words, so they stick. But I’ve a feeling that if it were always Stephen Fry reading, I’d get it even if it were a first go around!

At the end of the sixth chapter I thought I’d at least go out and do my walk through the park for exercise. I’d been out there maybe ten minutes when it started raining. Seriously, it was fantastic. I LOVE this. I had started my walk still grinning from listening to the book, completely filled with delight, and now the rain just enhanced it. I know for most that’d be so off-putting, but I adore rain, so it was perfect.

I was inspired, delighted, and gaining energy. And now I’m home and I can’t wait to take a nice hot shower, get all cozy, and window fully open so I can continue to listen to the rain, indulge some more in Stephen and Harry! Hooray!

Nothing accomplished, loveliness gained.

5 comments:

whichwaydidshego said...

If you didn't know, I was dressed as Rita Skeeter and won the costume contest - which I hadn't entered.

Yes, those are authentic 50's cat-eye glasses, and yes they're prescription.

Miss Eliza said...

They never did awesome costume competitions at my Harry Potter release events... of course I dressed up anyway! I'll be interested to see what you think of Fry's voicing of Tonks...

gbpackergirl76 said...

Stephen Fry reading the Harry Potter books?! SQUEE!!! I'm still on the "must kidnap him and make him read to me" vein, which Elizabeth introduced me to. And by living in Wisconsin, we have plenty of good cheese to keep him sated. MUST OWN THIS!!! ; )

There were costume contests at my HP release parties. One guy dressed as the golden snitch. All the gold fabric kinda hurt my eyes.

Brian said...

Mmmmm...love your sexy librarian look (okay...reporter look). Very hot!!!

BTW...the cat-eye glasses are cool...but then, I liked the look of the ones you had on when you were 14.

whichwaydidshego said...

Brian, I wasn't 14 and they were HORRID. I looked like a bug.

Hooray for dressing up! Hooray for Stephen Fry reading anything, but especially Harry books!

So funny about the golden snitch hurting your eyes. Was he a wee little man, this snitch? :P