Where to draw the line with obsessive fan behavior?

My sister has been mocking me pretty constantly for my Harry Potter kick of late.  I could point out that she has her own intense little fads (watching Sunshine four times in a week) but that would be petty.  Still I have been obsessing and there’s no point denying it.  I don’t want to.  I enjoy my obsessive behavior and I see no reason to stop.  Its so much fun.

For example, I was indulging my excitement last week by tweaking out over Empire Online’s delightful breakdown of the trailer and getting myself all hyped for the upcoming movie.   They show 22 stills with scene by scene commentary and guesses as to which part (I or II) it will fall into. That’s pretty much established now that the break has been released by Entertainment Weekly (which I noted on Mugglenet last week).  I actually was much more excited after reading these than I was at the end of the rather fast paced, mysteriously quick cut trailer… in fact, I found it totally thrilling … and the text by Helen O’Hara is very funny.  Go check it out. Here’s a taste below:

Hermione, Just-A Walking Down The Street
We thought for a moment that this might come from a scene that is described in the novel but not actually shown: Hermione wipes her parents’ memories of even having a daughter, places an urge to emigrate to Australia in their heads and leaves home, all the better to protect them. But looking at the architecture around her, we’re thinking it might be Hermione with Harry (under the invisibility cloak) heading to Godric’s Hollow in search of the next Horcrux clue.

Part I or Part II?
Part I, somewhere in the middle.

Death Eater Vs. Train
One of Voldemort’s Death Eaters (Jon Campling) stands in the tracks of the Hogwarts Express, stops the train and arrests Luna Lovegood, following her efforts at school to help Harry and friends and continue the good work of Dumbledore’s Army. This shot is ace, because we’re all in favour of having people standing and being cool in the path of oncoming trains (in movies!! Don’t try this at home, kids. We really can’t stress that enough).

Part I or Part II?
We’re guessing Part I, setting up the fact that Luna’s imprisoned in Malfoy Manor for Part II.

Voldemort Triumphant
We’re getting images thick and fast now: Ron running from a room full of people (Gringotts?); Bella (or is it Hermione?) casting a spell; Filch dodging an explosion and Harry being chased through a forest. But the one that stands out is Voldemort triumphant, wand shooting light into the sky. Do we think this follows his retrieval of the “Elder Wand” from Dumbledore’s tomb? Yes, yes we do.

But as much fun as I was having with that, suddenly I came up against an apparent stumbling block yesterday.  Have I reached my fan limit?   I dropped by Mugglenet in the morning and saw that there’s been a test screening of Deathly Hallows Part 1 in Chicago this weekend and that there are extensive review/descriptions of it available online now.  And suddenly … I don’t want to know.  It seems like too much.  Too much detail.  Too much information.  I guess this is where I draw the line in the sand.  I’m really reluctant to read the breakdowns and details that they have posted in their Red Headline News post.

Or maybe its not an end to fandom … maybe I just don’t want to be spoiled yet.

Click here for more on Harry Potter.