tala @ so-phobic

The beginning of the end.

The last book. Wow.

I’ve been a Harry Potter fan since 1999. I remember blowing my allowance at merchandise and collectibles. Let’s see, there were the pens, notebooks, stickers, stationery (including one set that had the scar-shaped stamp), and journals from National Bookstore. I even have the journal with the little night light for scribbling adventures in the dark. Then there were the tee-shirts and socks and bedsheets from that old toy store at Robinson’s Galleria. Fantasia, I think it was called. It was on the topmost floor, where that new arcade is now.

I also bought the board games! I have the first Trivia board game. I remember going to the National Bookstore at Katipunan every Saturday for the elimination round of the Trivia contest they had going on that time. I got into the finals. The finals were held at the old Powerbooks branch along Pasay Road/Arnaiz Avenue. They had like 3 floors of books and an in-house coffee shop. I remember that that was also the first time I got to see Rustan’s U, and that it was my birthday that day. I wore my grey Roxy shirt, dark green Levi’s cords, and bowling shoes. Hahaha, I still remember what I wore! I didn’t get the second Trivia game because I was broke (it cost Php1,700.00), but I did get the Mystery at Hogwarts board game because I am both a Harry Potter and Clue fan.

I also spent a ton of money on the Harry Potter Trading Card Game (TCG). I gave up Magic: the Gathering for it! Shit, I would go to the old Pojo.com site almost everyday to look up deck construction and trading card values (Harry Potter foils!). I even made my very first website (ugly as hell!) because of the TCG. My favorite card has always been 4 Privet Drive:

I used to go to Glorietta 2 every Saturday to play. There’s a store there beside the Neoprint booth called Pocket Collector (sold cards and toys) that hosted both Pokemon and Harry Potter TCG games. They had tables and chairs in the area in front of their store. We used to arrive at around 4PM and we would shoo the Pokemon players away and commandeer the tables and chairs. Hahaha! We were meanies. I used to win a whole lot with my Hermione deck. I was never a Creature deck player (except in MtG), so I used the Quidditch and Charms cards a lot.

I also still have the key chains and the House bracelets. And the CD case and the 2 Fossil watches! I’ve started wearing the watches again.

Shit, now I’m nostalgic. See you all on the 21st at Fully Booked - High Street. I’ll be there before 7AM, just like the last time. XD