Aug 2 2007 02:55 PM ET

The PopWatch Confessional (Vol. 26)

Patient_lAre you saving the enjoyment of a certain movie, book, album, or TV show for some kind of perfect moment? Here’s why I’m asking. Late last week, I was IM-ing my friend Eva about how much I wanted a "your wand’s too measley for ginny weasley" T-shirt, as naturally I would. She responded, "Cute… Had I read the books, I’d be all over them." What?! Knowing how much she loves anything dark and teen angsty, I asked her why she hadn’t read Harry Potter (at least from Order of the Phoenix on), using some language that probably isn’t appropriate to repeat. She said she needed to wait until the final book was published before she started the series because she "has no patience for that kind of stuff." Actually, I think she has incredible patience. Especially after she proceeded to tell me, "I still have a few Smiths albums I won’t buy because I want to wait until I ‘need’ them. I waited like 20 years for The Shining, and then found a perfect Halloween… and hated the movie."

Do you all do this? I used to think only my friend Tamara was this kind of crazy: She received The English Patient audiobook, read by her favorite man, Ralph Fiennes (pictured), as a present in 1997. She told us all that she would save it for the "perfect day." The seal still isn’t broken. That was 10 years ago. What are you waiting to savor — and why?

Comments (114 total) Add your comment
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  • Jason

    That sounds like some serious OCD. I used to have everything RIGHT NOW, meaning that if a movie I likesd was coming out on DVD I would have to buy it the day of release, even if I wasn’t going to watch it for weeks, or months. But, I’d have it. That said, I can’t imagine getting something and distinctly waiting for some type of magical “perfect day”, that’s nuts.

  • Alyson

    I do that, but not on such a long-term basis. I DVR Lifetime movies or silly comedies and wait to watch them when I’m really, really in the mood for them. I’ll think, I’m not in the mood to watch Meredith Baxter battle an eating disorder right now, but soon there will be a perfect day when I’m feeling misty and emotional and it will be perfect. I guess for me it’s not saving something so much as anticipating need.

  • Mozz

    OH EVA sounds like my dream woman. I too waited till all the books of Harry Potter were published, so I could read them back to back. Frankly, I didn’t have the patience to wait two years to know how the story kept going (some of my friends say they are jealous of my upcoming adventure). Now, that i have all the books, and reading them, then maybe I can finally watch the movies!!!!

  • Maveness

    I’m doing that with Battlestar Galactica and 24. During the first season of 24 I missed one episode (due to an emergency, hence the not being able to tape it). Since then I’ve been holding off for the right day to start watching season one (and subsequent seasons) again. Also, with BSG, I got cable (yes, I’m late to the cable game) after the first season. Since I had to get the first season on DVD to watch first, I couldn’t watch the second season when it started. All the DVDs come out after the next season starts. So I’ve never been able to watch it on Friday nights. This works out fine, though, because BSG is best viewed in large chunks (6 or 7 eps at a time). So now I’m waiting until the series is done to watch all of it (probably over a Christmas holiday one year or a summer holiday).

  • Kath

    I did the same thing with the Potter books. I will start them now!
    I save things that I have already enjoyed, to watch or listen to them again. Sometimes I get a craving for an old favorite, and I wait for a great stormy or raining Sunday…”oh, its a Grace of My Heart/Mambo Kings/Anne of Green Gables day!”. I am weird.

  • JJ

    I think anyone with a DVR knows the feeling of making a season pass for an anticipated show and then watching the episodes build up. I recently had a rainy day watching “Traveler” and it was really great to be able to watch eight episodes in a row…almost like having it on DVD.

  • NineDaves

    I’m still waiting to watch the Star Wars series. Never seen one. I was going to watch them when Popwatch had that guest blogger contest, but I didn’t get picked. So here I still am. Maybe one day..

  • dan

    No. I don’t do that. When I want something, I get to it yesterday.

  • Cece

    I have a recent example. This weekend, I wanted to do a movie marathon so I chose films that were set to be deleted from my OnDemand menu: Back to the Future, Parts 1-3. The first one is excellent and the others lose steam as the series goes on. However, they are loads of fun to watch in a row.
    Another recommendation, my Potterfiles: Read the series backward. I started this after finishing Deathly Hallows. My initial plan was to read 6 before 7 and then try to finish 5 before the movie, but I ended up finishing 6 and getting halfway through 5 before the movie came out. Anyway, reading the books backward explains soooo much. Everything starts to make sense. Pick a week when you have nothing to do and read the books. It will change you life.

  • snarky

    I bought the DVD of the TV show “Invasion” and have not watched a single ep. I am not sure what I am waiting for. I also need to watch season 2 of “Lost” on DVD. I thought I would have a chance to catch up this summer, but my DVR is full of gems like “Scott Baio os 45 and Single”, “Rescue Me.; “Hey Paula” and “Top Chef”, so I have no time to catch up on DVDs

  • Josh

    After I finished the Harry Potter books, I realized I still hadn’t made it through Stephen King’s “Dark Tower” series.
    I read the first four, but the last three came out so close together that I was buying them but not reading them. I decided to start from scratch and I’m halfway through the second book. I had forgotten how great they are.
    Maybe it’s because I’m reading the two series so close together, but the Potter books really do feel like Stephen King for beginners…

  • nathan

    I recently bought the Gone With the Wind 4-disc edition, I’m saving that for a rainy night.

  • Vicky

    I refuse to buy the Lost dvds until catch all the new episodes on Wednesdays. But even when they did air reruns, I wouldn’t watch. I want to re-watch the show from start to finish because I think the storylines will all come together and finally make sense. Plus, I’ll catch the things I missed before and I won’t have to wait for another season of dvds to arrive. Here’s hoping for a complete series set right after the show’s demise in 2010.

  • Vicky

    I refuse to buy the Lost dvds until the end of the series. Don’t get me wrong. I catch all the new episodes on Wednesdays. But even when they did air reruns, I wouldn’t watch. I want to re-watch the show from start to finish because I think the storylines will all come together and finally make sense. Plus, I’ll catch the things I missed before and I won’t have to wait for another season of dvds to arrive. Here’s hoping for a complete series set right after the show’s demise in 2010.

  • Catherine

    Y’all could get hit by a truck tomorrow. Crack it open and live your lives.

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