Fictional Characters I Would Date: Part Seven

I thought now would be a nice and timely opportunity to post this next entry considering all of the hullabaloo surrounding the coming “Breaking Dawn” release:

Jacob Black from the Twilight series

Now I know that 95% of Twilight fans are firmly planted on the Team Edward side of the forest.  I know that most fans even go far enough to compliment their love for Edward with an absolute loathing of Jacob.  I know this because many of my friends and even my sister adhere to that way of thinking.  I completely understand why everyone goes gaga over Edward, but I guess I just don’t get the hatred of Jacob.  I am not trying to convince anyone to switch teams, because I would fail before I even started, I just want to explain some of the reasons why I would choose to date Jacob over Edward.

1.  I would feel so much more comfortable around Jacob.  I get really intimidated around good looking guys and Edward’s picture should be in the dictionary next to good looking.  Bella always goes on and on about how she feels so uncomfortable around him and all of his perfection.  Jacob is not perfect and that is what makes him awesome.  He might not be human, but he makes mistakes just like I do and I know he could laugh right along with me when I get food all over myself or wake up with a huge pimple.  If any of that stuff happened around Edward, I would just be mortified.

2.  If I am going to snuggle up to something, I would rather it be warm and furry than cold and granite-like.  Enough said.

3.  Jacob would be fun to hang around with.  Now I am not saying that Edward doesn’t do fun stuff, but Jacob is just as fun.  We could go on lots of adventures together and he could help me conquer my fear of water, heights, and motorcycles.  He could also fix my car when it breaks down.

4.  I would feel much safer among the werewolves than the vampires.  Apparently hanging out with vampires is not a very safe thing to do.  Bella has already had so many vampires try to kill her or plan to kill her that if I were her, I would run right back to the werewolves.  They seem to keep to themselves more and not get involved in all this international intrigue stuff.  And as for the whole, “what if he gets all mad and rips half your face off?”  Well, I would say you aren’t risking much more than if you were dating a vampire.

5.  He isn’t controlling and I wouldn’t have to change for him.  Two very big problems I have with the Twilight series are Edward’s control issues and the fact that Bella will eventually have to change who she is just to be with him.  These are not good things in any relationship, no matter what reasons and excuses lay behind them.  In Eclipse Edward tries to control who Bella sees and where she goes.  Even though it is for “her own safety” it still really rubs me the wrong way every time I think about it.  If my real boyfriend did that, I would kick him to the curb so fast…

6.  Not much competition.  Eventually, when literary characters come to life and join us in the real world, I will not have to fight the huge screaming mob of 10-70 year old women fighting to be with Edward, I will casually join the queue next to Jacob and only have to worry about sharing him with a few other people.

Now I am not saying that Bella and Jacob should end up together (I would actually never say that because I think Bella is incredibly annoying and whiny and Edward and Jacob both deserve better) because we all know she is destined to be with Edward.  I just wanted to promote Team Jacob one last time before I settle down with “Breaking Dawn.”

I’ll leave you with a picture of my Jacob, Steven Straight:

Jen

Storytime with Jen

One of the highlights of my week is opening the mailbox to see my shiny Entertainment Weekly smiling up at me.  Since I have been super busy this week, I hadn’t had a chance to look through the latest issue.  I was also kind of saving it because I knew it was all about Twilight and it would be a nice treat on my day off.  Well, first off I looked at the cover:

On first glance I was very excited, but as I looked closer I was like, “Ugh! Ick!  Why does Edward look dead?  Not sexy-vampire-dead, but actual CSI dead???  Also, please button up your shirt!  No one wants to see your not really hairy, but not really smooth pasty British chest!!!”

After the initial shock, I opened up the magazine to a very pleasant sight:

Woohoo!!!  I am so excited for this movie!  I saw the show in London and it was pretty much the greatest thing ever!!!  I can’t wait to see Colin Firth sing and hopefully dance!

In a much better mood now, I continued to flip through the magazine until I got another shock.  This is the actual ad from inside the magazine:

Here is a closeup:

It totally freaked me out!!!  Now I know that my name is on the outside of the magazine, blah blah blah, but putting my name in an ad…………eeeks!!!  It makes me feel all paranoid that there are cameras watching me everywhere and little robots monitoring my every move, which would only be okay if they were all like Wall-e (oh how I love Wall-e……….everyone should go see that movie now……..take tissues!).  Maybe it is not all that freaky to some people, but it still gives me the heebie jeebies every time I open the magazine.

Other than being stalked by my magazine, things are going well.  There is a whole menagerie of wildlife outside on my porch using the birdfeeder including a black squirrel, a chipmunk, and some rather intimidating pigeons.  I also got a random hug from a five year old boy who was in my storytime group last fall, it was very sweet and made my whole summer.  Right now I am gearing up for my family reunion, the Breaking Dawn release, and Terminus!!!!

Twilight Trailer Goodness

So yesterday I got a frantic phone call from my sister telling me that the Twilight trailer was online. I have been waiting for this for a long time and even though it was less than a minute long, I have lots of opinions. Here is the trailer (sorry it’s the crappy YouTube version) and below it are my thoughts.

1. The film is going to LOOK great. The muted colors and gloomy atmosphere are a PERFECT adaptation of the book. I am really pumped they got that right!

2. I think that Kristen Stewart is going to make me actually like Bella. I will admit that I am not above hating on Bella. I think she is weak, whiny, and cruelly toys with Jacob’s emotions. But there is something about Kristen Stewart that is the opposite of weak, so I think that the movie could possibly make me enjoy reading her character more the next time I pick up the book.

3. I am nervous about the inexperienced actors. The whole “She’s not one of us” line felt very very forced…………like the daytime soap “Passions” forced. I will try to withhold judgement.

4. I am excited that it looks like a real movie with fantastic special effects. When I first read about a movie on Stephenie Meyer’s website, I got the impression that it was going to be a tiny little independent production held together with cardboard and chewing gum……….but this looks like a REAL movie!

5. I do not like the fact that Edward appears to “fly.” That is not okay and/or cool.

6. The taglines they use are really quite catchy……..I think this could be a big movie even for non-Twilight fans.

7. December cannot come fast enough.

Jen

NGT3: Vampires vs. Sweet Valley Twins!

aha! Finally NGT 3 is up, and it is ridiculously awesome and totally bix! Go to NerdGirlTalking to listen or download. please please please. We need to be ridiculously famous before Mr. Timberlake will ask us to dance all seductively (meaning slightly shake our hips as he moonwalks around us) in one of his video-masterpieces. JK, JK, I actually suggest you don’t listen. or do. whatever–it is totally up to you as a completely brilliant, independent thinker.

While you are thinking though you should watch this:

I had to record this for a video assignment on the Invisible Time-Traveling Paparazzi Blog. How much is this your fav new dance?

amberj.

Crunchberry Day Dream: Fulfilled

I don’t like this new format the blog is in - it just took me about 5 minutes to figure out how to be able to write in this little box thingy.  Anyhow, just two things I was thinking about this weekend…nothing big in particular.

First: Yesterday I was in Cedar Rapids to see my sister run in a track meet and to play disc golf (I am terrible) with HWSNBNITB and his 2 friends.  After the track meet and disc golf, we had dinner at Sushi House (I had no fish, do not worry readers) and then went to HyVee so that everyone could pick up their choice of beverage (mine was hot chocolate - I even got a can of whipped cream, mmmmm….) before we went and watched a movie.  When we were in the parking lot of HyVee I realized it smelled awesome outside.  I originally thought it was HyVee, but then to my pleasant surprise, I realized that I was in CRapids on Crunchberry Day.  I have been waiting for the day that I drive through CRapids and it did not smell like Cheerois (not as good a smell as you might think).  Well, yesterday I fulfilled that dream.  I encourage all of you, dear readers, to aspire to be in CRapids on a Crunchberry Day.  You will thank me.

The second thing I was thinking about this weekend (OK, I’ve been about this for quite a while now, but I hadn’t made my decision until today), I am ready to declare myself officially on a team.  For the longest time I have been toward between Team Jacob and Team Edward.  I know Jen resides on Team Jacob and I fully respect her for that.  But as of today I am officially and irreversably on Team Edward.

Why?  I realized that if I was on Team Jacob, I would have to support the fact that Bella and Jacob would eventually get married, making Bella Swan legally Bella Black.  RED FLAGS READERS!!!!  RED FLAGS!  Does this mean anything to you, because it should.  I know that she would be Isabella Black, but no one would ever call her that.  She’d be Bella Black and we all know it.  I think I would have to hate her if that happened.  Not because of anything she’d done (except ditch Edward) would I hate her, but I would have to because of the common name.  I’m sorry, but I just cannot support a Bella Black in any series thanks to JKR.  Stephenie Meyer - you had me fooled a little bit.  You had me believing that Bella Black was actually a possibility, but when I finally made the connection I realized that it was never really a possibility, not when Bella Black is such an evil evil evil witch.  I can already see the fanfic!!  Isabella Black gets hit over the head, has amnesia, is told her name is Bellatrix and is adopted by the Black family of England.  It’s just so wrong.

Well, that’s all for now.  It’s 10:30 on a Saturday night and I am just too tired to stay up any later.  I’m elderly.

<3, lindsayd.

We are totally turning this into a Twilight blog.

I am obsessed. I cannot help it. I’m going to have to go get the audio books from the library and put them on my computer so I can do to them what I do to Harry Potter. Have you seen pictures of the cast for the movie? Here’s one of Edward.

And one of Edward and Bella.

Let me just say that every day I become more pleased with the choices for Edward and Bella.  Robert Patterson looks perfect for Edward….I totally want to be all over him (HWSNBNITB, I hope you are not reading this, and if you are, don’t worry, I would not be all over him, it is just because of my over active imagination that has been fueled by Stephenie Meyer).  I’m also really pleased with Kristen Stewart as Bella.  She’s pretty but not so pretty that you look at her and get super jealous because of her looks ( I will get super jealous because 1- she is playing Bella, 2-she gets to be all over Robert Patterson aka Edward Cullen).  Sighs.

Well, I’m really going to have to start doing stuff - I was just informed that on top of my lab reports, I now have a new baby boy, William, to visit!

<3, lindsayd.

Twilight has left me frazzled

So me being a future librarian and Lindsay being a crazy fast reader means that I’m constantly urging her to read this or that–basically using her as a test case for how good my reader advisory skills are. Well, everyone I know (well everyone I know who reads YA fiction) has been telling us to read Twilight for the past year or so–Jenn and Sarah being the most vocal. I was eager to get to it and put it at the top of my list–which only means that I picked up up every time I went to the bookstore and felt immense tempt to purchase it, but knowing that it would sit on my bookshelf for a looooong time because there are ALOT of books at the top of my list. I was always baffled though why Lindsay had not read the series yet–she is the fastest reader I know, and being an engineering student with lots lots and lots of homework but little reading, meant that most of her reading was fun reading. She just never seemed interested–readers can be very fickle. I know, I am. Or maybe it just wasn’t time yet–it seems like books can sense when it is their time to be loved. Well, for Lindsay, the Twilight time has come. for sure. Which I’m sure all our faithful readers could tell from her last several posts. And that means I and Lindsay are going to go crazy for awhile. Why? because although Lindsay is already on her re-reads of the series, I just finished Twilight last night (at around 1am) and will probably not get to the rest of the series until summer.

I can hear several of you gasping–”Omg, how can she wait that long to read the next one????!!!!” well for two reasons:

1. being a library student means I have a lot of reading to do already and am lucky to get one free-reading book in per month (I’m very very slow. and I like TV. and the internet.)

and this second reason pains me

2. I don’t really feel the urge to. there, I said it. I’m soooo not obsessed with Twilight after reading it. I loved it–absolutely, positively loved it. I couldn’t put it down–my heart panged and stung and beat really really hard. I was scared out of my mind to take my eyes off the last hundred pages because I was sure to see the vampire James sitting calmly across the room from me (it was very very late at night). But…sigh, I felt very little emotion when I finished–

All of my favorite books I ever read have haunted me afterwards–have left me feeling like I was not the same–like I had experienced something. Basically, I’m immediately a little shaken and crazy for a bit which subsides but then a little part of me always holds on to that feeling. My gosh, after reading the seventh Harry Potter I was an emotional wreck for weeks. I’m still so shaken by that book that I have yet to feel ready yet to reopen it. After reading “The Golden Compass” I swear I can feel a little fox daemon wrapped cozily around my heart. “I Capture the Castle”–my favoritest book ever– makes my heart race just thinking about it. I knew who I was after reading that book.

So I was very disappointed when, after finishing “Twilight,” I made an easy return to reality. Yes, I was very shaken and my heart felt frazzled and I tossed and turned before going to bed–but I felt like the book stirred me up and then left, just left! leaving my heart very confused on what was going on. So confused that I felt an intense need to read “I Capture the Castle” (and not “New Moon” the sequel to “Twilight” weird) in order to get my heart all confused and tortured and thrilled for the good long time it was expecting.

soooo boooo! I wanted to be all obsessed with Edward and Bella, too–like the rest of the world. And although I am very interested, I feel like I’m interested in the way I’m interested in Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson’s relationship. . . Maybe I’m just too distracted right now. Maybe it just wasn’t my time. I’m sure the obsession will come, right? golly.

amberj.

For the Twilight fans… if you ever plan to read Twilight, maybe you shouldn’t read this post! You have been warned.

Howdy folks, (I’m totally trying to get ready for the big move down south)

So I have really been trying to do my homework (I swear!), but I just can’t stop thinking about the Twilight saga.  I talked to Jen earlier today for like…an hour?…about the books and I still can’t stop thinking about them.  Because of this, I decided to post about it.  Why do I like the books?  Well, I like them because it sucks me into the story, I can’t stop thinking about it after I’ve finished reading, and it dredges up some powerful crazy strong emotions in me.  Have you read it?  Why do you like (or dislike if you will) the books?  (Hint hint, comments)  Stephenie Meyer has created this world of Forks, Washington that has vampires and werewolves running around, and you know what?  I totally believe that it could be true.  Does this mean I completely want to move to the Olympic Penninsula and find some good vampire of my own?  Totally.  Will I?  No - I have to complete school and then marry HWSNBNITB and move to Tennessee….and eventually have super cute children (Henry and Eloise and Danielle) who love reading, school, and maybe one or two sports….I shouldn’t have thrown that last part in, but hey - it’s my post and I can do whatever I want.

But what if I/you was 5 years younger (aka 17 years old), and I had just moved to Washington, and I met this guy, who was so completely perfect, who entranced me so that I fell irreversibly in love with him…and then I found out he was a vampire - but wait! he’s a good vampire who doesn’t drink human blood (even though he really wants to drink mine because I smell soooooo good).  Would I/you date him?  My answer is of course.  Would I/you marry him?  My answer is of course!  Would I give up mortality and become a vampire to be with him for all eternity?  My answer - well, I’m not sure yet… I can understand the appeal - I would stay the same age as my vampire love of my life and be with him until I was destroyed by who knows what, but then I might possibly be damned to eternal hell.  Most people would probably see this as a no-brainer (don’t become a vampire and possibly damn yourself).  But as we all know from Harry Potter - love is a potent and powerful thing.  It sometimes (or most always) cancels out our more logical brains and does what it wants regardless of consequences.  I think in the case that I would be on the good vampire side, I would probably opt to become one so I could forever be with my vampire love of my life.  …and I also have to admit that having eternity to learn whatever I want is quite appealing.

Next question - you are a vampire - what do you do with your time? (cause you don’t sleep, duh).  First - I would learn (and master) every kind of math there was.  Then after that I would really like to learn how to play the cello and bass (well), and then I would practice my piano until I was wicked awesome.  I would like to learn how to dance, but I would probably naturally know how once I was a vampire because I would be more graceful than any ballerina on earth.  After the first things, I would learn how to invest wisely and how to use the stock market to my advantage - that way I could amass a lot of money, and I wouldn’t have to worry about anything, and I’d probably donate to charity or start up some foundation of my own.  After those things, I’d probably start making my rounds through all the other musical instruments there were and master those.  Then I’d start studying other subjects, maybe get a couple of PhD’s.  I’d travel a lot, skydive, cliffdive - basically do anything that I was afraid to do in my human life.  Maybe I’d learn to paint well.  And then after all that maybe I’d try to go plant trees around the world.  Oooh, and I’d be an actress for a while - then fake my death, and then after a couple of decades, I’d be an actress again….that could cycle for a while.  What would you do?

Ugh - I’m still going to be thinking about the books after this post - I can’t wait until the movie comes out later this year.  I’ve been looking at some new photos from the set and I’m really starting to like the Edward and Bella cast (Kristen Stewart and Robert Patterson)…they really got the physical appearances right…I’m just hoping that the actors will do a good job portraying the characters aptly enough…which I think that they will do.  Excited!

Well, I’ve written enough now, I’m sure.  I’m going to try and focus again on my homework, and if that doesn’t work I think I’ll be forced to pick up New Moon and start the reread (I just finished the reread of Twilight yesterday and have been fighting mighty hard to keep my paws off of New Moon).

Laters!

lindsayd

Howdy from Nashville, y’all!

Howdy folks,

This is lindsayd. tuning in from the country music capital of the world, Nashville, TN.  It’s strange to thing that in ~2 months I’ll be living here!  Crazy huh?  I’m just bumming out here on Andrew’s (or as I will start referring to him from here on out, HWSNBNITB) couch while he’s at class.  I just finished New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.  Why did I not pick this series up earlier????????????  Good gravy, I have been using just about every ounce of will power I can muster not to sit like a zombie (hehehehe) reading!  I read the first book in the saga, Twilight almost completely on my way down to TN, and then I bought New Moon the next day, but had to interrupt my reading for silly things like eating and sleeping, and then some not so silly things like spending quality time with HWSNBNITB and adding things to our registry at Bed Bath and Beyond.  Speaking of shopping - there are so many malls down here!  I’ll never be able to complain about a scanty selection while I live here.  But back to Twilight.  So then I of course had to look at the cast list for the movie they’re shooting right now.  Robert Patterson (mmmm Cedric Diggory!) is playing Edward.  Soooooo dreamy!  I’m a little bit scared though that the movie isn’t going to live up to my expectations.  But, I think it’ll be ok because by the time the movie comes out, I’ll have forgotten all the little details, so as long as they get the outline right, I think I’ll be ok.  But seriously, have you read these books???  I need to go buy Eclipse today - there’s a Border’s less than a mile from HWSNBNITB’s apartment.  I think I might take a walk there and then go on to the Vandy campus to find HWSNBTITB.  I am so glad that I have finally gotten into this series - I also need to read the 3rd book in the Libba Bray series, A Great and Terrible Beauty - also very good books.  I have to admit thought - Twilight has sucked (hahahahhahahahahahahahaha) me in to the story way more than A Great and Terrible Beauty.  Oooooh Edward and Bella.  I seriously want to name my first daughter Bella right now - I probably would if like 50,000 other girls weren’t thinking the same exact thing right now.  I’ll stick with Eloise.  Speaking of children - I got to have a web chat with my future niece, Emma and future brother in law, Tony.  Emma was adorable!  She’s 2 and a half and kept putting her hand over Tony’s mouth so that she would be the only one who got to talk.  And they’re about to get a new addition to the family - so exciting!  I can’t believe it - the baby was supposed to be born in late April, but they keep moving the due date up - they’re fully expecting a baby to be born within a few days most likely.  I can’t wait!  HWSNBNITB and I are going to get some pretty cute baby stuff as soon as we know if the baby’s a boy or girl.

That’s all from Nashville - y’all come back y’hear?  Read Twilight if you haven’t!  (And then thank Jen because she’s the one who’s been touting it from the start)

Toodles!

lindsayd.