How Harry Potter Has Changed My Life:

Some articles in the news and a bad case of Leaky Con withdrawal that, only thanks to the number of folks I met, had a brief brush with or even just know were there but never met that have found me or me them on facebook or twitter, is starting to ease (whew, that was not an easy one to type, hope you get what I am saying). I thought I would blog about the ways Harry Potter has changed my life.

*WARNING this could (and probably will) get long so grab a cup of tea or what ever soothes you and relax. I hope you will not be bored*

I love my computer, it feels like a part of me (sad? maybe). I mean I even met my husband online (in 1996). These together make me a firm believer that you can and most people do meet and make amazing friendships online and some never in their entire life are in the same physical room. People think I am joking (people here with me that have not had the same experiences) when I say my best and most loyal friends live in my computer. I assure you I am not joking!! You will see what I mean as you read on, and I hope you will (read on that is)

In Jan 2008 I joined this amazing community called The Leaky Lounge which is an off shoot of the best (yes it really is) Harry Potter sight for fans- The Leaky Cauldron. They have these terrific and fun reading groups (no bias, I promise) where they go through the Harry Potter books one at a time, chapter by chapter and talk about them. How awesome is that? A place where I could talk to other people, most adults like me, who love this boy wizard and the world he lives in!!!! They have other kinds of conversations going on too, but this was where I settled in. Over the course of my first few months I got asked to write a topic starter and I screamed with delight and was so honored (can we say nerd?) and then asked if I would like to join the staff (no I don't get paid, money at least, but I do get something out of it as you will see soon) as a Butterfly with the understanding that I would go on to become a room leader (not a higher position but a different one and a spot they needed filled). Again I screamed and was even more delighted and honored. In this place I have met the most wonderful people on the entire planet, in the entire Galaxy even. The reading group staff range in age from 17 to 69. We are almost all of us female but we do have 1 guy and are not opposed to more it just has worked out this way.

So how has this gone into the league of life changing? Good question. I am not all that comfortable meeting new people. I worry about so many things-do I come across as not smart enough or too nerdy-do they just see the short fat girl- am I funny enough or not serious enough- am I nice enough or too nice..and on and on... I have a history of being to trusting or wishy washy and getting hurt because of this. I did not have a happy childhood and honestly, I tend to be a lonely person. Then I found this place and I was surrounded by people who shared some of my interests and had some that were different but liked to hear (read?) what I had to say even when we didn't agree. I was not judged but welcomed and it felt so wonderful. Sound like I am nuts? Maybe, but I was getting less lonely. Then I joined staff and I became part of something even larger and the people became part of my life outside the forum. Through planning the rooms we started to share the things going on in our everyday lives. I became Wendy (well Wen. Since if you know me even a little you might already know I prefer it to Wendy if you are my friend and if you are reading this you are either my friend or about to become so, please call me Wen). And the people I was with became Ann, Eileen, Laura, Julie, Ashley, Becky,Hilde, Jeanie, Jo, Daniel....Screen Names faded into who the person really is on the other end. Some of us are now part of a Wed night Skype chat about LOST and we watch and chat together from all over the country and there is a Sunday night get together (also on Skype) where we read and chat about Jane Austen books. We share our lived on a few different social networking sites. Do you have any idea how HUGE this is for a girl who had really no friends in High School & College and has very few in her adult life, to finally feel like part of the cool kids and to feel well loved!? It is life changing.

Being Reading Group staff has introduced me to some other people who fall into the above without the reading group part, the other areas of TLL & TLC. My world was growing in way I would never be able to imagine at the time. Here is the next life changing bit. I went to Leaky Con as I mentioned at the start and even have a separate Blog post about ~here~ . At Leaky Con I met 3 people who I would not have ever met if it weren't for this event. They were such sweet and amazing people and my level of contact with them varies. One has become what I am sure will be a life long friend, she is sweet, funny and open hearted. The other 2 I hope to get to know better and one I am beginning to and the other sort of floats in this fandom version of rock star status but is none the less very sweet and really quite approachable for someone not as bad at it as I am. The thing these 3 have in common other than Harry Potter is they happen to be members of the gay population (I hope this sounds as respectful and matter of fact as I mean it). Now this may sound silly or close minded or any number of other things but I am just being honest here or the life changing factor wont make sense. I know there are gay people but my personal contact with any was very limited by my extremely small circle of people I come into daily contact with. So meeting and spending time and since getting home getting to know these 3 people has given my brain and heart some stuff to ponder. I am normally a conservative person in my political views and for almost all of my thoughts I have clear and personally relevant reasons for feeling them. However, the issue of gay marriage...I am now forced to rethink my views on this. I am female and I have a husband who I met, fell in love with and am now married to. I love him dearly and he is my souls food and without him I am less than whole. It is a frustrating, maddening & glorious thing. Why should these 3 people (an by extension others like them) not be able to share this. Why is it limited to me and those like me? Is civil union really enough? Is partner the same as spouse? Is the word marriage really important? Well for me it was. I wanted to marry Jay. I wanted to be his wife and for him to be my husband. Do these 3 not have the same feelings? Of course all along, before they met me and me them they did and meeting me doesn't make it *poof* they feel these things. But it is something I never had a personal connection to wonder. This was life changing for me.

Way three: As a book lover this is a great one. I am learning about new and wonderful authors. John Green & Maureen Johnson to name just a couple. I love good books and finding new and lovely books to read thrills me like season tickets to the Sox would thrill Jay.

Way four: Wizard Wrock!!!!

Ok I am sure if I really wanted to go on and on I could list more things about Harry Potter that have changed my life but I think this post is already WAY too long and these four ways are really more than enough for now. I may add more one at a time in the future. But there you have it...Harry Potter has changed my life...