Nobody really knows for sure how long it is going to be until Book 6 comes out. It could be awhile, so I came up with a list of things to do in an attempt to kill some time before the release of the 6th book.

1. Re-read Books 1-5. Yes this is very obvious. It's a big time investment to actually go back and read thousands and thousands of pages, especially since, like me, most of you have read all the books 40 million times. Despite this, you'd be surprised how often you'll pick up something you never noticed before. Maybe you'll notice something that seems unimportant, but will have major relevance in Book 6 or 7. There is always a benefit to re-reading the books.

2. Watch the first two movies over again. There are less benefits to this as you are probably not going to pick anything up (if you do it's usually something that's not said, rather than something is said), but there is plenty of entertainment value nonetheless. If you own the DVDs there are a ton of extras like interviews with the cast members and stuff like that, so there is literally hours upon hours of fun in there, and it's definitely an effective tool at killing time.

3. Play the video games. Just like with the movies, there aren't a ton of benefits, but the games are an enjoyable time. I've played a couple, and they are okay. In a rush to make as much money as they could, the producers of these games missed a golden opportunity, though. For those of you who are fans of The Matrix trilogy, the video game "Enter the Matrix" gave you some deleted scenes and provided a little insight about some of the characters. For LotR fans, the video games give you a sneak preview at scenes from the latest movie before it comes out. To the best of my knowledge, the Harry Potter games don't do this, and it's a shame.

4. Go see Prisoner of Azkaban in theaters. Make a whole big night of it, because this has the potential to be the most fun HP related activity you take part in before the release of the 6th book. See it with a bunch of friends, and have an open mind. This movie is going to be unique to the others because it has a new director, who undoubtedly has a new interpretation of the books. I'm sure J.K. Rowling wouldn't let it stray too far from the books, so it should be interesting to see how it all comes out.

5. Read Galadriel Waters book. And don't stop there. Galadriel Waters wrote a fantastic book on the mysteries of Harry Potter, and you all should read it. There are tons of other books out there about HP (like Quidditch Throughout the Ages) that give background into the world of Harry Potter. These are useful things to know, and will enhance your knowledge and understanding of the series.

6. Keep up with the fan sites. I'm sure you all come on here only to read my column, but if you look around, there is actually a lot of other cool stuff on here! It's an invaluable source for news regarding HP, and there are cool games and stuff to occupy your time. Mugglenet Interactive always offers something interesting as well.

7. Post your thoughts on message boards. There is nothing like a healthy discussion, after all. But keep in mind, different strokes for different folks. There is no need to berate anyone for having a different opinion than yours, or asking what you think is a foolish question. On that note, when the book comes out finally, don't post spoilers on message boards; a lot of people don't want to see that stuff. Let's keep it clean and fun. That makes it a good time-filling experience for everyone.

8. Keep on the lookout for TV interviews. These usually start popping up when the release of the book draws near, but every now and then you get lucky and catch your local news doing a piece on HP. When you start seeing JKR on TV, that's when you know the book is coming. Don't just limit yourself to the TV, either. If you see something on a news site, or any non-Harry site for that matter, check it out. You never know what kind of info is there. You may just have found a diamond in the rough. And if you do, be sure to inform the crack Mugglenet staff so we can share it with everyone else.

9. Throw a Harry-themed party. I'll admit this is probably for a younger crowd, but it can still be a good time. Invite a bunch of friends over, dressed in Harry attire, drink pumpkin juice, each cockroach clusters (probably not with actual cockroaches though, but if you are brave….), play some Harry trivia games and pop in the movies. It sounds a little corny, but with the right kind of people involved, it could be a very good time. And last but not least…

10. Midnight party at your local bookstore. When you do this you'll literally be killing your final Book 6-less hours. This is the best time you'll have that involves Harry all year. The midnight party is like Christmas Eve. You already know what you're getting, but the anticipation is half the fun!

Well, I hope you enjoyed my little list. Enjoy doing any or all of the time-killing techniques, and hopefully they will make the wait to Book 6 a little more bearable. This week's winner of the movie trivia is Trevor Bordelon. Congrats, Trevor! Send your Mugglenet account name to Emerson to claim your 5 galleon prize. This week's quote is

"I have to believe in a world outside my own mind. I have to believe that my actions still have meaning, even if I can't remember them. I have to believe that when my eyes are closed, the world's still there. Do I believe the world's still there? Is it still out there? ... Yeah. We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are. I'm no different."

11/14/03

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