Current mood:
enthralled
Living With OCD, HPCD, and DAD
I have been struggling to get on My Space as of late and I have been hampered by my afflictions. We all have our crosses to bear and I do my best not to complain about my problems. But sometimes you just have to let it all out and expose yourself to begin the healing process. I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and at times it is crippling. I guess it started when I was young. I would latch on to something and I couldn't let go. I always had to do things to the nth degree. Nothing was ever simple. Everything had to be overdone. Let me give you some examples.
10 years ago my neighbor brought some cigars home from a vacation. He invited me to sit out in the evening and partake of these lovely hand made stogies. But I couldn't stop there. Now I have to have my daily cigar (weather permitting). I am obsessed with keeping my humidors stocked up. Years ago I could smoke machine made cigars like Garcia Vega, but now my compulsion requires only Dominican hand made cigars. Another compulsion that strangles me is SuDoKu. My kids taught me how to do these puzzles a couple of years ago and now I have to do a SuDoKu every night when my wife flips to Lifetime. I just can't fight it (and I can't stand Lifetime). I am helpless to resist. Most recently, yet another compulsion has taken a grip of me. I find myself totally unable to resist the Harry Potter series. When one of these books comes out, the world stops and waits for me to read the newest edition. I am totally helpless to resist. There is nothing I can do. Sure, some would say that Harry Potter is a kid book, but does it matter? I need to know what trouble Harry is into now, and what his cohorts Ron and Hermione are doing to help him. I need to know what new animal Hagrid has found. I want to see Dumbledotre in charge and Professor McGonagall change into a cat. Mostly, I want to see the evil Lord Voldemort dead. For those of you who are completely in the dark about Harry and his friends read on:
The Harry Potter series of seven fantasy novels was written by English author J.K. Rowling about an adolescent boy named Harry Potter and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The story is mostly set at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a school for young wizards and witches, and focuses on Harry Potter's fight against the evil wizard Lord Voldemort who killed Harry's parents as part of his plan to take over the wizarding world.
Since the release of the first novel, "Harry potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in 1997, the books have gained immense popularity, critical acclaim, and commercial success worldwide, and inspired a successful film series. The seven books published to date have sold more than 325 million copies and have translated into more than 64 languages. The seventh and final book, "Harry potter and the Deathly Hallows", was released July 21, 2007.
The success of the novels has made J.K. Rowling the highest-earning novelist in literary history. The first five books have been made into successful movies and the last two are scheduled as well.
The wizarding world in which Harry finds himself is both utterly separate from and yet intimately connected to our own world. While the fantasy world of Narnia is an alternative universe and the Lord of the Rings' Middle Earth a mythic past, the wizarding world of Harry Potter exists alongside ours and contains magical elements analogous to things in the non-magical world. Many of its institutions and locations are in towns and cities, including London for example, that are recognizable in the real world. It possesses a fragmented collection of hidden streets, overlooked and ancient pubs, lonely country manors and secluded castles that remain invisible to the non-magical population
Considering the success that the Harry Potter series has had, it naturally concludes that the series is responsible for a great many young people reading books that they may not have read otherwise. As I said above, a common misconception is that this is a children's book, but that would be a mistake. It is true that my children love these books, but one is 25 and the other is 28. It is just fun to talk to them and analyze the latest book. Harry Potter is possibly the best book or series of books I have read in my life. It is exciting, wholesome, and incredibly well written. The release of the seventh and final book causes me to have yet another affliction, HPCD (Harry Potter Conclusion Depression). There won't be anymore. I will have to read them again. Seriously, you should consider reading these books, if you haven't already. Take a little time away from My Space, we will forgive you, and read these books. You won't be sorry. My other affliction, DAD, is caused by the fact that I have children.
I hope now you understand where I have been for the last few days. After I got into the last book, I just couldn't put it down. These books are just tooooooo good!
The last book:
Harry
Professor McGonagall
Headmaster Dumbledore
Hagrid
The Gang
While I am suggesting books, I will offer my choices for the rest of my all-time top 5 books:
I read this as a boy and it had a huge impact on me:
This book was read while I was in college and still makes sense to me:
This book was inspirational at a difficult time, particularly the chapter on Joy and Sorrow:
This is an easy hour and a beautiful story.
OK, so some of these books are old, but I'm old. Just sharing my thoughts, all good books, I promise.