I’m fairly certain we can out-squee the 12 year olds!

After all, I’ve been squee!-ing since before they were even born…

I started squee!-ing for New Kids on the Block and later graduated to *NSync.   I did quite a bit of squee!-ing over various celebrity AND non-celebrity crushes over the years, and definitely squee!-ed lots over the Harry Potter series.   Heck, I still squee! every time Stevie Nicks comes up on my mp3 player!

It’s no secret, I’m normally pretty vocal about the stuff that makes my heart beat a little faster and my smile stretch a little wider.  Why hide it?!

And what’s got me SQUEE!-ing today?  This:

A girl from work is going to go with me and I’m so glad because otherwise I might have gone alone!!  Squeeeee!!!!! 

Kindle shmindle

One night last week, Ush and I planned to go to the cinema.  We were either going to see Dorian Gray or District 9.  We couldn’t decide, but both started at the same time, so we figured we’d decide when we got there.  (For the record, my first choice was Adventureland.  Two points if you can guess why! )  We headed out, walked up to the high street, and watched the bus we needed drive by.  Craaaap.

We stood on the corner for a minute, watching the bus drive further away, looking at our watches, looking at each other, wondering what to do.  Run to the next bus stop? No, we’ll never make it.  Walk to the cinema? No, we’ll be late.  Call a cab? No, what a silly waste of money.  Hmm…  Should we walk down to Chix Chox and get some cake?  Wahey!!    So that’s what we did.

But I digress.

I mentioned recently that I was reading Wuthering Heights.  I was and I did.  I just finished it a couple days ago and really enjoyed it!  But I didn’t mention the manner in which I read it.  A few months ago (ish), Ush bought me this.  (We go through phases with our Nintendo DS.  Sometimes we play every day for weeks.  Other times it sits neglected for weeks.  When all of those brain training games were first coming out, we were well into those!  Brain Training 1 and 2, Brain Academy.  And gotta love classics like Snood, Super Mario Bros, MarioKart, Boggle, Sonic the Hedgehog… We’re a couple of big kids sometimes, I know.)

Anyway! I digress again!  So he bought me this ‘game’ for the DS.  I can’t remember why except that I must’ve mentioned something about some classics that I hadn’t read and wanted to, and he saw this on sale and bought it!  I think he got it for like a tenner, so that’s 100 books all in one little cartridge for 10p per book!

(Don’t get me wrong: I love books.  I love turning the pages, flipping them through my fingers, turning down small corners of pages that have a quote/passage/storyline that I particularly enjoyed.  I’m partial to paperbacks, because they’re more comfortable to hold, particularly when its a really long book, but I do respect a sturdy hardback.  I can’t get rid of books, in fact.  Even if I’m sure I’ll never read it again – I can’t do it.  I love bookshelves lined with books.  So this whole new Kindle thing that Amazon is pushing?  I don’t like it.  Nope, not a fan.  Am I, then, a hypocrite with my little digital library of classics?  I hope not.)

I used it for the first time to read Wuthering Heights and, the reason I mentioned our little non-trip to the cinema, I am now reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.  I hadn’t realised the movie was based on a book until I browsed my little collection.  It’s Oscar Wilde’s first and only novel, in fact!  (The ‘game’ has an “About the Author” section for each book.)  It’s a really great collection actually.. All sorts from Jane Austen to Shakespeare to Mark Twain to Charles Dickens to Hemingway!

So, now I’m going to wait to see the movie until I’ve finished the book.  (Not sure why I always put myself through the whole “Rrraahhhhh, the book was so much better!” fury.)  I guess, in the meantime, I’ll have to go see District 9 before I get to see Adventureland. Oooh ooh, and there’s 500 Days of Summer, Broken Embraces, Funny People, (holycraptherearealotofmoviesoutrightnow), Inglorious Basterds, Julie and Julia, The Soloist, and the very-soon-releases of The Invention of Lying and Up!

Anyway.  No longer digressing but just plain rambling now!

Here’s your veggie plate, Stephenie

I can’t believe I didn’t notice, the first 5 times I watched it, Stephenie Meyer’s cameo in Twilight. I hope she has one in New Moon as well.

I can’t wait to see the scenes in Italy with the Volturi!
Alice is my favourite character, so I’ll be glad to see more of her.  (One of my favourite parts of Twilight is when she jumps onto James’ back and rips his head off!)

Michael Sheen doesn’t look how I pictured Aro, but I think it’ll definitely work.

And Dakota Fanning, again I didn’t picture Jane as a blonde, but she is an excellent choice!

67 days!!!

–

(All images belong to Summit Entertainment.)

In which I whine and complain

It’s official.  I have cabin fever.

I want to go back to work.  Or go shopping and run errands that have been neglected for the last 2 weeks.  Or go out for my friend’s birthday tonight (I had to miss another friend’s wedding reception last weekend).  Or just walk to the opposite end of my flat and back without collapsing and needing to rest for a half hour!  Is that asking too much?

I’m getting bored.

I’ve read all of the Twilight books.  Twice.  (Nearly. I’m still on my second run through Breaking Dawn.)  I’ve watched the film four times.  I’ve read nearly every word on Stephenie Meyer’s website, and trawled through loads of the Twilight Lexicon.  There is nothing left that is captivating my interest, making time fly by. And I don’t really have the impetus to step into something new, so to speak.  My heart is still in Forks.

So I guess my boredom is partially my choice.  I do believe that you can choose your attitude.  Sometimes it’s so easy to give in to negativity or lethargy or apathy… And I’m fully aware that all of this could be much much worse than it actually is, and for that I’m grateful.  But still.   I’m so tired of this stupid energy-sucking virus.

Music helps.

Even though the song is awesome, the video is creepy and strangely disturbing. I prefer to watch this one, created by a fan.

Speaking of music – the New Moon soundtrack will be released one month before the film release – on my 3rd anniversary! Woo!! (See? There’s always something to be thankful for. )

In the meantime, one of my favourites from the last soundtrack will continue to run through my head…

relegate this

I’m trying really hard to come up with something non-Twilight-related to blog about.

But I’ve got nothing.  It still fills up a lot of my free thinking time – which is more than usual because I’m still out of work due to this stupid virus (which, my doctor confirmed this morning, can’t be helped except with rest and time). I tried to go back to work yesterday and failed miserably.  Twilight is my comfort blanket.

Ush did teach me about British football last night, though.  The different divisions and leagues and when the season starts and how teams can advance or be relegated blah blah blah.  This conversation took place in the dark last night before sleep came, and I’m honestly rather impressed that I managed to retain all that information about a subject that I really don’t care about one bit!  I guess it’s sort of nice to now be able to translate some of that football gibberish that I so often hear flying around.  But I’m still not that bothered either.

Anyway, after the football conversation, I soon fell asleep and returned to my Twilighty dreams.  And -confession time- I’ve now read through the first three books a second time and will tonight start my second read through Breaking Dawn.

*waits while you all roll your eyes and call me lame*

They’re just as good if not better the second time through!

And honestly, what else do you expect me to do with my time?! I’m supposed to be resting, and I can’t sleep too much or I won’t be able to sleep at night.  Daytime TV sucks and anything else besides reading is more effort than I’m allowed to exert.  So Twilight it is.

***EDITED TO ADD***
Oh man, you guys, when Jacob starts to run towards her, growling, and she screams, and he leaps over her and phases!!! Holy crap.  My pulse races and my heart climbs up into my throat!!!  It’s the first time I ever even comptemplated Team Jacob… Wow!

This is me being a tween again

Trailer for New Moon

OH. EM. GEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  It’s out on 20th November.

Stephanie, Brandon, Travis:  That’s your arrival date in London, but I’m sorry – I’ll be busy that night.

(I’m joking.)

(Sort of.)

(I haven’t really figured out what to do about this conundrum just yet.)

giggling grinning giddiness

That’s what happening right now.

I just finished the fourth and final book, Breaking Dawn.  (My sweet husband did indeed stop at a bookstore yesterday and buy it for me!)

I did rather little between then and now but sleep and read, obviously.

Without giving anything away, this fourth book was a rollercoaster of emotions!
First I was really happy, then confused,  frustrated, pissed off, shocked, hopeful, worried, triumphant, and all with an immense need to know what would happen next woven throughout!

I loved it. LOVED IT.

Now, thinking about the first book compared with the first movie, I really wonder how they’re going to pull off movies 3 and 4.  They’re going to have to do a damn good job with New Moon..  Because Eclipse is where it all starts moving fast.

I’m looking forward to seeing how it will all pan out.

What a ride that was!!!

Ush laughed when I said I was considering reading through them all a second time straight away, and I guess I was partially joking…  But I’m not so sure!

I’m loving the soundtrack too…

(I cracked up over some of the Twilight-crazy kids’ comments to these videos!  “OMG Twlight is the best of the best!!:) Their love is so intense why can’t i be Bella?”

Bless

yes, I am a tween

Or at least I’m acting like one.

YOU GUYS!!  I can’t believe I’m reacting like this!  I mean, I knew I’d really love the series.  But seriously?  I’m still struggling to accept it.

I just acquired the soundtrack and with it Paramore’s music video for “Decode”..

And, watching the well-placed and highly-dramatised clips from the movie, I just get all speechless and fumbly and something in my chest does a little dance!

I FEEL LIKE A COMPLETE IDIOT, yet I can’t help it!  When Edward says, “You are my life now.” Holy crap, I melt into a puddle, then the puddle droplets do backflips, and then they melt again.

I’m two-thirds of the way through Eclipse now.  The mouse arrow is hovering over the ‘Purchase’ button for Breaking Dawn, pending Ush’s stop at a bookstore during his lunchbreak (aka RIGHT NOW).

I’m already planning, once I’ve finished book 4, to start again at the beginning and read them through a second time.

Yes, I know.

I must be delirious from the fever or something, I have become that. lame.

I don’t even know why I’m still sitting here when I blatantly have a book to finish!!!

And again

I felt a lot better last night, and this morning as well.  I didn’t think twice about going back to work. It was time.

And then I got to work and was, you know, working and feeling happy to be getting caught up on what had inevitably been piling up during my two days at home.  Until around mid-morning, when I got hit by a Mack truck.  Or, at least felt like I had.  WTF?! Where did that proverbial truck come from and why did it proverbially knock me on my proverbial butt?!  Proverbially.

So, apparently I’m not better.  I don’t know how I’ll be able to tell when I am better seeing as I so thought I was today.  But whatever, a day at a time.

So, while I’m here, back at home, not being better, I might as well talk about Twilight.  (Squeee!)

Yes, you guessed right, I did indeed finish the second book, New Moon, yesterday.

- [slight] SPOILER ALERT -  (Though I don’t know why you haven’t read it yet!!!!)

I was a bit worried by Edward’s absence in the beginning, not liking Ms Stephenie Meyer for messing with my head so cruelly.  The ensuing 300 or so pages had me concerned.  But Edward more than made up for it upon his return during the last 200+!

I swooned and squealed and giggled like he was saying those things to me like an idiot, but a happy idiot all the same!

The biggest Twilight fan I know, Krista, used to blog about all things Twilight a lot.  A LOT.   And let me tell you, at the height of her Twilight madness (which is probably where I am now), I just didn’t get it.  I couldn’t see how it could really be THAT great.  How can a fictional, written character be so fan-fricking-tastic?!  (Krista, forgive me for doubting you, but now I see the light! The twi-light! Ha! See what I did there?! Hi! Don’t hate me!)

Seriously, though, she hit the nail straight on the head when she described it thus (and I bolded my favourite part):

… I get heart palpitations, I swear to God. I haven’t quite grasped what it is about this franchise that is turning every grown ass woman into a ‘tween.

OH WAIT. Yes I have. EDWARD F-ING CULLEN.

Seriously.

I’m sorry, but he is… the sexiest thing alive? Or, not alive, actually. He’s a vampire. Dead. The sexiest thing dead. Stephenie Meyer is a goddamn genius. How she turned a fictional character in a book into a demi-god, I’m not sure. Because that’s what it is.

Oh yeah! I didn’t tell you!  After I finished reading the first book, I was getting all settled in to start the second one when my ever-loving husband asked if I wanted to watch the film.  THERE’S A MOVIE TOO!  I’d forgotten!

And so watch it we did.  Now, my expectations were not high going into it.  Firstly, as with every great book, the movie will never be able to measure up.  Secondly, I just wasn’t digging Rob Pattinson.  Cedric Diggory didn’t do it for me, and even though I’d fallen hard for book Edward, I just didn’t see that happening with movie Edward.

Krista also said about the movie:

Without the context of the book, the movie is sub-par. The acting’s not even that great.

It’s true.  While I think Kristen Stewart was cast really well as Bella, the girl can’t really act.  Ush said she has four faces: confused, dubious confused,  frightened confused, and “aw shucks”.  But again, I don’t care.  Because I really like book Bella, so movie Bella can stay too.  As for movie Edward?  WOW was I ever surprised.  While I’m on a Krista-quoting kick, she made me laugh with this description:

Edward is mind-blowing. Robert Pattinson is even more mind-blowing. All dark and ominous… All vampire-y and make-out-y. That man makes a beautiful Edward. I say “beautiful,” but I mean “absolute, unbelievable sexy beast.”

While I might not feel as strongly about him as Krista does, I at least have to agree…  Um, YEAH. He was well cast too. (squee!)

Roll on book 3, Eclipse!!!

Even though she spells her name wrong

I know I’ve previously acknowledged the necessity to read the Twilight series.  And I don’t know if that was accompanied more by curiosity or an actual desire to do so.

It took me almost a year after the release of the final book to even start on the Harry Potter series, which I only did begrudgingly in order to make good on a promise to my husband.  Obviously, though, I was soon hooked and have read a couple of the books twice and seen all the films (except the most recent one) twice as well.  I even played the silly Order of the Phoenix video game!  I fell in love with all things in and of the wizarding world.

When the Twilight series was initially recommended to me, by a friend in Cali, I scoffed at the idea of a series about vampires. (This friend is also a huge fan of Stephen King. I assumed we couldn’t possibly share the same literary tastes.)  Later, though, as Twilight mania swept across the US, captivating 35-year old women and 11-year old girls alike, I had to accept the fact, being in that age bracket AND a sucker for the kinds of things that captivate your average woman, that I would probably really enjoy the series.

So I knew I’d read it eventually, but there was no urgency.  I was still high on HP, in anticipation of the upcoming sixth film.  I decided I’d wait until after I’d seen that, then I’d start on Twilight.

In the meantime, I bought the trilogy and they sat in my bookcase for months.

Fast forward to now.

I started coughing on Friday evening and haven’t really stopped since.  (And before you assume, it’s definitely not swine flu, or any other type of flu for that matter, it’s just a chest cold.)  I spent all weekend on the couch and, albeit stubbornly, had to agree with Ush that it wasn’t a very good idea to go into work today.  Even if I might have been well enough to make it through the day, my coughing would make everyone else around me uncomfortable and worried about catching whatever it was I was spewing forth.  So I stayed home to cough on my dogs instead.

I didn’t feel like watching TV.  Housework was out of the question – too much movement exacerbates the coughing.  I checked my email, but didn’t want to linger at the PC as I don’t like sitting in our cluttered and cramped spare room (note: must get the wireless sorted out!)

As I passed the bookcase, cup of tea and blanket in hand, on the way to the couch, I figured it was a good time to dust off the Twilight books and see what the fuss was all about.

So, what time was it?  Maybe about 8:45am? 9:30? Somewhere in there; I don’t know for sure.  But I started reading.

Except for a few breaks to get some more tea or water, an equal or greater number of trips to the bathroom because of said tea and water, a couple more brief checks of my email, a quick load of the washing machine, and then its subsequent unloading/folding – I read that book ALL. DAY.

I had literally just finished at 5:30pm when Ushwin walked through the door.

And let me tell you now, folks.  I finally get it.  I know why you all love Edward so much.  Because I love him too!!!

So, if you’ll excuse me, it’s 6:30pm and I’m going to start on New Moon.