Most Despicable Acts Ever--Book and Movie Edition

Gracias to Lauren for following! Hope you like Pandora XD

So, after I made my lovely list of Female Romantic Interests I Like/Don't Like, I felt like making more movie/book-related lists. So, for some unknown reason, I created the following, highly sophisticated list:

The Most Despicable Acts Ever, book-and-movie edition { WARNING: potentially spoiler-esque, but not intensely so}:

1. Running away from the final blow--on your hands and knees. {Troy}

2. Massacring a guy by surprise. {The Godfather}

3. Betraying/forsaking your friends for money. {Newsies}

4. Manipulating everyone by guilt-tripping and batting your eyelashes. {Eclipse}

5. Making your guy lose his honor, pride and position to "prove" his love for you. {A Knight's Tale}

6. Deciding you're in love with a guy because he turns you on. {The Forest of Hands and Teeth}

True to my normal overly-analytical ways, I then tried to figure out what this says about me as a person. Is there a common theme in this list? What is it that really GETS me?

I decided the recurring issue is Honor. I was already fully aware of my fiercely strong opinion on honor. {It comes with being southern, I kid you not. You can steal my stuff, but you do NOT insult my momma, my honor or my land. End of story.}

The first Despicable Thing, crawling away from a final blow actually got me on my feet during the movie. I literally jumped up off the couch with an enraged gasp of disbelief. That's not how it works, buddy. You signed up for it, now TAKE IT LIKE A MAN. There is no other option. {Except I guess there was. Wuss.}

The second DT, the massacre is just absolutely sick, not to mention dishonorable. Shooting a guy til he's riddled like swiss cheese out of the blue when he's {SPOILER} on his way to kick his abusive brother-in-law's ass is just WRONG, I tell you, WRONG. URGHHHH. *grits teeth* It gets me.

DT number three {lawl, rhyme...} betraying/forsaking your friends for money doesn't directly have anything to do with honor. It has to do with LOYALTY, which is a FACET of honor. {I clearly need to do a post on honor. I think I will. Stay tuned.} Loyalty is important, and when you don't have it, you suck.

Ah, the famous guilt-tripping and batting lashes trick by Bella Swan {DT #4}. Again, nothing to do with honor, but doesn't it just make you wanna vomit? Or punch a wall? {Or a werewolf.} It's absolutely disgusting, despicable. I HATE girls who do this. If you seriously do not have a better method of persuasion than bringing up past "wrongs," you do not deserve a favor. Get a life. Get some logic. Grr.

#5, making your guy lose his *ahem* HONOR to prove his love for you. This pisses me off. I mean, yeah, it might prove that he loves you, I get that. But personally, my guy's honor is directly tied to mine, and if *I* really love him, I'm not gonna ask him to fail at something. It's just...somehow wrong.

And the sixth and final Despicable Thing, deciding you love a guy because he turns you on. {In my opinion, the whole book "Forest of Hands and Teeth" had virtually NO REDEEMING QUALITIES and this little gem only made it worse.} Hopefully I don't have to explain this one to you. Love and lust are way not synonymous, and this Mary chick doesn't even seem to know that. She genuinely thinks she loves this guy because she laid on top of him one time {long story} and was like "Ohmigawd. I feel funny."

And that concludes my rant on despicable book-and-movie moments. What are some moments that made you cringe? Do you notice any recurring themes?

~Stephanie

Worth a Thousand Words Week: Nessie

Thanks for following, Annabelle!

And on that note, I'm still Twi-ing...

Chapter Five:

pg. 86: THERE'S the Bella we all know and hate!

pg. 88: And so begins the path of abandoning friends for Edward. *sigh*

pg. 89: Oh sure Edward, tell her to stop being friends with you, then chase her down every chance you get. That's not confusing and stupid at all.

She says she's trying to decide if Edward is a Bruce Wayne or a Peter Parker. Wow, Bella, Bruce Wayne doesn't have powers. You're definitely thinking of Clark. Get your superheroes straight.

pg. 90: Maybe I'm just in a cynical mood today, but this is getting cheesy fast.

pg. 92: Although admittedly, Edward is still a little breathtaking.

pg. 93: "What if I'm not a superhero? What if I'm the bad guy?" SERIOUSLY, CASTING DIRECTOR. ROBERT PATTINSON CANNOT DO THIS. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!

pg. 94: Oh riiiiight. THAT'S why Edward is skipping class. ...lols.

pg. 96: Bella sometimes reminds me of my Official Best Friend, Ellie.

pg. 97: Genuine laugh #8. Heh.

She only weighs 110 pounds? Jeezus, how short IS she?

pg. 99: Damn. Laugh #9.

pg. 102: Despite myself I wish there were Edwards in the world. Ugh, and I was really convinced that I would hate him this time around. I really think it's just Pattinson. He just unbelievably sucks. And not blood.

pg. 103: O.O Jeez. Edward is...volatile.

pg. 104: *narrows eyes* Okay, that is way too bossy, Edward. If you weren't a vampire I'd slap you. And if you weren't made of paper and ink.

pg. 107: Okay, Edward is the most unsubtle, ridiculous flirt ever. He's obviously attention-starved. And hott, but that's beside the point.

pg. 108: No secrets in Forks...or so YOU think, Bella.

~Stephanie

I'm Twi-ing: Chapter Four

Yeah. I'm rereading Twilight. And I'm making you suffer through it with me by posting my questions and comments >:D Mwahahaha mwaha mwa...

It's actually not as bad as I'd originally feared, guys.

pg. 69: I like how casually school life is presented. Informative, but not too detailed and dull. We're not here to read about how Bella's pencil ran out of lead; we're here to drool over physically desirable paranormal creatures. Duh.

pg. 70: Oh boy. Whenever Bella gets "depressed" it's alarming. I'm afraid she's gong to become catatonic a little early this time through.

pg. 72: I love how realistically awkward high school conversations are.

pg. 74: I couldn't allow him to have this much influence over me. It was pathetic. It was unhealthy. Glad you recognize that, Bella, but I'm afraid it just goes downhill from here.

pg. 75: Bella's klutziness is a tad more endearing than I'd thought it would be.

pg. 76: Although I still don't get why every guy is after her. Like, really. It's not like every boy is attracted to her scrumptious blood. What's the deal?

pg. 77: 4th genuine laugh of the book.
5th. Wow, 2 laughs in one page. Good job, Stephenie.

pg. 78: 6th! Dang. I must be tired.

pg. 79: You know, this is not as horrid as I'd anticipated. {Yet.} Bella makes sense. And she's not obsessive. {Again, yet.}

pg. 81: 7th laugh. Charlie...lols.
Robert Pattinson couln't pull off Edward's voice is Voldemort had him under an Imperius Curse.

pg. 82: Lols, he's so attractively irritating.

pg. 83: "The wasting of finite resources is everyone's business." Gotta love his sense of sarcastic irony. At least I do.

~Stephanie

Top Ten: Best Book Characters

This was an unbelievably difficult list to make. My original list contained 23 fabulous, complex, well-written, un-cuttable characters. But I was determined to get it down to 10. There had to be some way to determine the BEST 10. So I had to establish a couple of qualifications:

1) The character must be a teen.
{So minus Dustfinger and Scout, the list is now down to 21.}
2) The character cannot come from an already-recognized masterpiece (e.g. Lord of the Rings).
{After crossing out Aragorn and Frodo {Lord of the Rings}, and Hamlet {Hamlet} there are only 18 to pick from.}
3) No villains—I’ll make a separate Top Ten list for them.

Then I had to decide on the criteria. What exactly makes for a good character?

1) Complexity - Dimension, secrets, backstory, mystery, intrigue...
2) Realism - Yeah, right, like anyone is really like THAT.
3) Likeability - Hey, if you don't even LIKE them, how good can they be?
4) Uniqueness - Ixnay on the icheclay.
5) Voice - Are they funny? Is their dialogue clever? Does it reflect their character?

So I got to work, doing what I do best: overanalyzing. I rated every character on the criteria on a scale of 1-20 and lopped off the 8 lowest scores. Bella Swan {Twilight}, Johnny Tremain {Johnny Tremain}, Murtagh {Eragon}, Stargirl {Stargirl}, Jian {The Farsala Trilogy}, Valentina {Her Fearful Symmetry}, Soraya {The Farsala Trilogy}, and Jace {The Mortal Instruments Trilogy} were gone.

But WAIT. I love some of those characters more than the ones that technically made the cut!

And I decided that was okay. I could rethink my ratings depending on who I thought should be allowed to stay. I mean, this is my own personal opinion.

I only-a-little-reluctantly allowed Bella, Stargirl and Murtagh to be cut. I also cut Daniel {The Bronze Bow}.

Then I decided that although Art Robbins is GREAT, he wasn’t really part of the same genre as the rest of the characters. He didn’t seem to fit. I let him go.

I admitted to myself that I actually hate Valentina and am not even a huge fan of “Her Fearful Symmetry,” so I cut her too.

I was down to 12.

Next I considered Ponyboy {The Outsiders}. I loved him and everything, but he was from S.E. Hinton’s early work, and you can tell a bit. He’s a little less well-written than some of the others, although he’s great. So I took him off the list.

The more I thought about it, the more I felt like letting Johnny Tremain go too, so I did.

My list of the Top Ten Best Book Characters was complete. Some of the scores were ties, so I used my judgment to place them. And here you go: the finished product:

Top Ten Best Book Characters

First Place

Tex from “Tex” by S.E. Hinton
Total score out of 100: 96
Complexity: 18
Realism: 20
Likeability: 18
Uniqueness: 20
Voice: 20

Second Place

Mark from “That Was Then, This is Now” by S.E. Hinton
Total score out of 100: 96
Complexity: 19
Realism: 20
Likeability: 19
Uniqueness: 20
Voice: 18

Third Place
Tessa from “Clockwork Angel” by Cassandra Clare
Total score out of 100: 96
Complexity: 19
Realism: 20
Likeability: 19
Uniqueness: 19
Voice: 19

Fourth Place
Will from “The Infernal Devices Trilogy” by Cassandra Clare
Total score out of 100: 95
Complexity: 20
Realism: 18
Likeability: 19
Uniqueness: 20
Voice: 18

Fifth Place
Motorcycle Boy from “Rumble Fish” by S.E. Hinton
Total score out of 100: 95
Complexity: 20
Realism: 18
Likeability: 18
Uniqueness: 20
Voice: 19

Sixth Place
Tom Sawyer from “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain
Total score out of 100: 94
Complexity: 15
Realism: 20
Likeability: 20
Uniqueness: 19
Voice: 20

Seventh Place
Harry Potter from the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling
Total score out of 100: 91
Complexity: 19
Realism: 19
Likeability: 17
Uniqueness: 19
Voice: 17

Eighth Place
Jace from “The Mortal Instruments Trilogy” by Cassandra Clare
Total score out of 100: 88
Complexity: 17
Realism: 16
Likeability: 20
Uniqueness: 15
Voice: 20

Ninth Place
Soraya from “The Farsala Trilogy” by Hilari Bell
Total score out of 100: 88
Complexity: 18
Realism: 18
Likeability: 17
Uniqueness: 18
Voice: 17

Tenth Place
Jian from “The Farsala Trilogy” by Hilari Bell
Total score out of 100: 86
Complexity: 17
Realism: 18
Likeability: 17
Uniqueness: 18
Voice: 16

In case it wasn't obvious, I love all of these characters and highly recommend reading the stories that belong to them :)

~Stephanie

Top Ten: Sexiest Book Guys

Thanks for following, Mackenzie!

Things I Love to Do:

1. Make lists

And lately I've been making various Top Ten lists. I find it entertaining, challenging and a great way to distract myself from the fact that it's been cloudy for about 10 out of the last 14 days. {*waaaahhh*}

So without further ado, I give you one of my personal favorite Top Ten lists:

Top Ten Sexiest Book Guys

{Since they're books, I couldn't always find pictures that fit them. I tried, but I refuse to insult the character by choosing an inaccurate picture ;]}

1. Jace Wayland

Who? Possibly the best Shadowhunter the world has ever seen

Where? "The Mortal Instruments" trilogy by Cassandra Clare

Why? He's arrogant, funny, strong, protective, attractive, fierce, and a bit brooding. He's the funniest, wittiest character I have ever read. That's a huge compliment because 1) I don't think much is witty in today's literature and 2) I read a lot. To show you just a few of Jace's best lines...

"The meek may inherit the earth but at the moment it belongs to the conceited. Like me."

"Don't tell me. You're having a drawing emergency and you need a nude model. Well, I'm out of commission." He pointed at himself--he was wearing blue pajamas with a hole in the sleeve. "Look. Jammies."

"I have a high pain threshold. In fact, it's more of a large and tastefully decorated foyer than a threshold. But I do get easily bored."

2. John Sager

Who? A thirteen-year-old boy during the pioneer days

Where? "On to Oregon!" by

Why? John is determined, proud and clever. He's tough and protective and also an older brother, which gives him a heckuvalotta points with me. He's a pioneer badass and isn't about to let anything stop him from achieving his late father's dream. On the cover he's also really tan and attractive. *shrugs* At least I thought so when I was 11. I haven't seen that cover in a while.

3. Will Herondale

Who? A complicated, brooding Shadowhunter of the 1800s

Where? "The Infernal Devices" trilogy by Cassandra Clare
Why? Wow. Will is so hard to place in this list. I keep moving him higher, then wondering why exactly. My feelings for him are as complex as he is.

"Complicated" is perhaps the best word I can think of to describe him. "Brooding," "angry," and "confusing" also work. He's sly and capable and clever and good-looking. Black hair and blue eyes, a razor-like, intense beautiful.

4. Johnny Tremain

Who? An arrogant, teenaged ex-silversmith during the Revolutionary War

Where? "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Forbes

Why? He's one of the most complex characters I've read. He's cocky {I'm noticing a theme here} and sarcastic, but also sensitive. It's difficult to explain why he's so sexy. I think it's the combination of determination and pride that drives him.

5. Edward Cullen

Who? The smart and sexy secret vampire of Forks, Washington

Where? The "Twilight" saga by Stephenie Meyer

Why? He's had over 100 years to perfect his lady-killing skills, and they're pretty well sharpened at this point. He's sweet, protective and genuine. He's the lanky kind of strong, which gets me every time. {Actually, everyone on this list is except for Kavi.} He's also mentioned to have a crooked smile and raise one eyebrow. W00T!

6. Kavi

Who? A clever peddler-turned-spy in the Arabian-style land of Farsala

Where? "The Farsala Trilogy" Hilari Bell

Why? He's complex. He's brave, but not stupid. Proud, but not if it means his life. He's a class A liar and is haunted by his hatred for the nobles of his world. He despises their hypocritical ways and lack of honor. He's also tan.

7. Harry Potter

Who? The brave and bold child prodigy wizard of Hogwarts

Where? The "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling

Why? Gosh, another complex guy. So real he MUST exist out there somewhere. Harry is brave and proud and strong, but not in ways that make him seem too good to be true. He's the perfect boy-next-door-with-a-heroic-twist sort of boy.

8. The Thief Lord

Who? A daring and clever kid gang-leader in Venice, Italy

Where? "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke

Why? He's mysterious, shadowy, and arrogant, the kind of leader that expects to be followed without question. He runs the gang in a benevolent dictatorship fashion and has deep dark secrets to boot.

9. Misha

Who? A teenaged Russian rebel during the Russian Revolution

Where? "Angel On the Square" by Gloria Whelan

Why? He's cocky and rebellious and an extreme realist. He doesn't agree with the government and does what he can to stand up to it. He's determined and bold and protective of his younger cousin, even while telling her she's a silly spoiled brat.

10. Hamlet

Who? The clever and passionate Prince of Denmark

Where? "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare

Why? He's so passionate and brave and rash and angry and smart. The way he calls his mother out on her horrible scheme is really hott for some reason. He's out to avenge his father, which is another sexy quality. I dunno. I just like him.

~Stephanie

I'm Twi-ing: Chapter Two

Twilight Chapter 2...

pg. 30: Not bad...

pg. 33: I always loved Bella's domestically responsible ways. It makes me think of how I'll fend for myself when I'm grown up.

pg. 35: Third genuine laugh of the book.

pg. 36: The dialogue is getting better. Ish.

pg. 41: I like the Cullens. I'd forgotten.

pg. 46: Edward = not a freak. He's smooth, charming and attractive. Ugh, Robert Pattinson = horrible casting decision. It may also have something to do with the movie's script, which sucks.

pg. 49: Sarcastic and genuine. I like Edward.

~Stephanie

Unfortunate Truths Girls Learn From Twilight

Thanks for following, lifeslyrics (btw, I'd recommend visiting her blog. She's lols.)!

{Btw, I didn't come up with these. I ripped them off some guy named John Scott Lewinksi. Click HERE to read his whole list.}

1. If a boy is aloof, stand-offish, ignores you or is just plain rude, it is because he is secretly in love with you — you are the point of his existence.

2. It’s okay for a potential romantic interest to be dimwitted, violent and vengeful — as long as he has great abs.

3. If a boy tells you to stay away from him because he is dangerous and may even kill you, he must be the love of your life. You should stay with him since he will keep you safe forever.

4. If a boy leaves you, especially suddenly (while telling you he will never see you again), it is because he loves you so much he will suffer just to keep you safe.

5. When a boy leaves you, going into shock, losing all your friends and enduring night terrors are completely acceptable occurrences — as long as you keep your grades up.

6. Because he will come back, you should hold out, waiting for them for months, even when completely acceptable and less-abusive alternative males present themselves.

7. Lying to your parents is fine. Lying to your parents while you run away to save your suicidal boyfriend is an extremely good idea that shows your strength and maturity. Also, it is what you must do.

8. Vampires — once among the great villains of literature and motion pictures — are no longer scary. In fact, they’re every bit as whiny, self-absorbed and impotent as any human being.

Oh, lols XD

~Stephanie

I'm Twi-ing: Chapter One

So, hey guys.

Every once in a while I just get these urges to see if I can do something, or try something out, or see how long I can >fill in the blank<. In April I went the entire month without straightening my hair. And actually...

I haven't straightened it since.

Yeah. Not once. I straightened my hair on April 15th, to make it easier to work with for prom, but aside from that I have not straightened my hair at all since March 30th.

And I actually kinda like it. It's better for my hair, doesn't look that awful, and will be quicker for me when I'm in Europe.

So yeah, that challenge turned out well. Hopefully this one will too.

See, I'm going to read Twilight. I've already read it two or three times, but that was years ago. I loved it, but lately I've lost all respect for the novel. Is it because it really does suck and I just didn't see it before? Or is it because all I've been exposed to lately are the suck-fest movies?

I dunno. But I'm gonna find out. I am re-reading Twilight and making notes for your personal enjoyment and my enlightenment. Every Monday I'll post a couple of chapters' worth of review and snarky comments and we'll see where I end up.

Ready? Go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I first jotted down a few notes on how I remembered feeling about the book the first time I read it. That way I can see how it compares to the way I feel when I finish this time.

Overall: Realistic, well-written, exciting and with strong morals.

Bella: Likable, realistic, responsible and nice.

Edward: The epitome of hott, fierce, protective and witty.

Then I picked up the book.

pg. 6: Wow...was Bella always this much of a pill?

pg. 8: Dialogue: Realistic? Sure. Well-written? Negative.

pg. 9: I was about 13 when I read this. I think I thought 17 year olds were SUPPOSED to be this way... Now that I AM 17...um...

pg. 10: The stuff about never fitting in is actually good.

pg. 12: It's getting better. The writing is actually good at the moment.

pg. 15: SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT AT HUMOR.

pg. 16: Let's not be a brat, Bella, it's tiring.

pg. 18: Ooh, Cullens...now it really begins...

They're so much more attractive in the book.

Although Ashley Greene is perfect as Alice.

pg. 19: I hate "blond" spelled without an "E" on the end. It looks incomplete.

pg. 22: The movie {and Robert Pattinson} did an absolutely atrocious job of Edward. He is NOT awkward, he is NOT creepy and he is NOT disgusting. And he's much more subtle and controlled than the movie gives him credit for.

pg. 26: Mike's adorable :)

pg. 7: "Low, attractive voice." Yeah, Robert Pattinson is so not the right guy for this.

pg. 28: End of chapter 1. It started out awful, ended pretty okay actually.

~Stephanie

Change of Heart

So, there's this book called "Twilight." You may have heard of it.

I used to really like it. Like, way before everyone else did. Like, when it came out. It was the first book of its kind that I had ever read, and I really liked it. It was funny and romantic and Edward was amazing. I felt like it had strong morals and told a good story.

Well...

It's been about a year and a half since I've read any of the Twilight books, and I must say any good feelings I had about them have worn off. I cannot for the life of me understand why I loved them so much, and find a lot of merit in what people are saying against them.

BUT, I've never been a person to love something that wasn't worth loving. I mean, I have high standards and am a logical person. I'm beginning to wonder if I've been listening to anti-Twilight media so much that it's influenced my thinking. I mean, I remember that the first movie was a terrible representation of the real story, and I've written several pieces supporting Twilight. Maybe I just need to read the books again.

So I think I'm going to.

I'm going to re-read the Twilight books and give you a weekly update. How am I liking them this time? Do I have any snarky comments? Are they not as bad as I feared? Are they ten times worse than I remembered? Is Bella Swan really that pathetic?

You may love Twilight, you may hate it {I'm willing to bet most of you hate it}. Probably there will be something in the posts for everyone. We'll see.

You can expect the first post on Monday. Because everyone hates Mondays anyway.

~Stephanie

SPT - "Just Older"

Lelly's Self Portrait Tuesday challenge for May is as follows..
going back into the vault this month, to an spt challenge i really loved! hope you will join along!!

tuesday, may 5 something old
tuesday, may 12 something new
tuesday, may 19 something borrowed
tuesday, may 26 something blue

Okay so I'm doing a SPW since I missed T. If I haven't all ready, I'm gonna post or speak of this again. This is an OLD 1978 1st edition of Shel Silverstein's, Where the Sidewalk Ends. As you can see its very beaten up and very used, it has finger prints all over it. The corners are bent from being thrown in backpacks and being shoved on the library shelf it sat on for years. Then one day it was put in the retirement bin, even though it still has a tough spine and every one of its yellowing pages. And my thoughtful brother in law Justin bought it for a dollar and gave it to me for Christmas, since he drew my name in the family lottery. It made me cry when I opened it. Many of you could understand why a grubby, beat up, OLD book would make a girl cry, right? Who would want such a thing? Wasn't it an awful present? NO, it was the BEST present!!

So my OLD friend, why do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love that you make me laugh, I love that possibly hundreds of adults and children have handled you and you have shared your joy with them, I love that every time I open you I can imagine all the giggles you set free into the world, I love that you were in a Library available for anyone to enjoy, I love that you were my first favorite book as a child, I love that you bring happiness and fun to my children, I love that you are one of the oldest of your kind.
An OLD poem from my first favorite book...

MELINDA MAE
Have you ever heard of tiny Melinda Mae,
who ate a monstrous whale?
She thought she could,
she said she would,
So she started right at the tail.

And everyone said, "You're much too small,"
but that didn't bother Melinda at all.
She took little bites and chewed very slow,
Just like a good girl should...
...And in eighty nine years she ate that whale
Because she said she would!

How about you? Do you SPT? Do you have a favorite Shel Silverstein poem?

Join my Library Love Book club, pick up 1000 White Women by Jim Fergus from your library.

Just Older by Bon Jovi, Crush 2000

"Book of Love" yay another book club!

As I have mentioned before, I love books. I am even considering going back to school to become a librarian. The process is daunting but possibly worth it. Boulder City has a beautiful library that feels very homey inside and very beautiful on the outside. I just found out they are hiring for a shelver, part time. The pay isn't much but I am seriously considering it because its not about the money for me.

This is Becky..

She's my favorite Librarian, head of the children's department. This chick has great taste in books and can always find something for my kids to read, especially when they are moaning and groaning at the prospect of reading a book. She has a fun attitude and feels like a friend in what some perceive an intimidating world of books.

This is the latest Young Reader series that Becky referred to my family. The Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke. Wow is it good, its a dark and imaginative tale. My kids and I listen to it together. The audio version of the first book, Inkheart is performed by Lynn Redgrave who does a great job. Then Inkspell is performed by Brendan Fraiser. At first I was disappointed in the change, but as he read, I began to respect his performance more and more. This is his best body of work in my humble opinion. And now we are on Inkdeath and there is another change, Allan Corduner. He performed "The Book Thief" and his voice was perfect, but I've not adjusted to this performance yet and find myself reading more than listening. I think Brendan and his amazing range of voices spoiled me.

On the Adult side of things. I've decided I'm starting a book club.

<a href="marymaryrc.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="LIBRARY LOVE BOOK CLUB" src="http://www.geocities.com/maryrockwoodcrabtree/librarylovemaryrc.jpg" /></a>

This is going to be a FUN book.. book club. For those of us who love to read for entertainment to escape reality. Also to discover great reads that aren't necessarily mainstream. It will be Bi-monthly and yes we will have a party after we finish each book. First one being JUNE 2nd. This is going to be the first book. Click on the link for Amazon.com info.
"One Thousand White Women" by Jim Fergus.

SPOILER ALERT! DONT READ Kirkus Review I'M SO MAD RIGHT NOW!
I'm not finished with it but so far, its great. Its not for the prudish. But its not X-rated either. So pick it up and let me know what you think. Get it from your local library. And if you're local mark your calendar. And if your a blogging friend, I look forward to your review.

What are you reading? What is your favorite book?

Book of Love by Peter Gabriel, Shall We Dance Soundtrack

Do What You Love... Diary of a Makeup Artist Entry #8

Have you ever heard this... "Do what you love for a living and the money will follow."  I don't know where I got this from, but I heard it somewhere a long time ago.  When asked "What do you do for a living?"  I've always joked... play Barbies!

Meet my Barbie!

This is Theresa K. one of my favorite model friends.  We played together like good little girls.   Today we did a fashion shoot for Luxury Las Vegas magazine celebrating Barbie's 50th birthday.  I got to turn her into Chanel Barbie, 60's Barbie, Malibu Barbie, Birthday Barbie and finally Princess Barbie.

Here are a few sneak peeks from my snapper.

Not only does Theresa make an awesome live Barbie doll, she is a very very wonderful person.  She is so sweet, sensitive, genuine and loving.  Working with her is just like play, not work.

On a side note, another highlight of my day was shooting in Baumann's Rare Books.  And this is what I got to hold in my hands.

This is a first edition Gone With the Wind.  Oh man!  I was freaking out!  I literally wanted to cry, I LOVE books, I love that they represent, enjoyment, escape, learning and the talent of one who has something to share with the world.  It gives me chills when I see a book that has been passed down through time.  This one was only $4000 dollars!  "Chump Change" Rachelle (my best friend who also loves books) called it as I frantically sent her a text to tell her what I was holding.

Take care of your first edition Twilight books girls, your posterity will appreciate it.

Honestly in recent years I have dreamt of being a librarian or even better a professional Bibliophile.  

What do you think?  Barbie girl or librarian?

Midnight Twilight Review

Last night I went to midnight Twilight with some of my friends. We had a really good time. Rachelle and I had Cafe Rio for a late dinner and then headed over to the Fiesta Station. My friend of coolness, Heidi Gross was so smart, she rented the party room at the theatre, and with that we got reserved seats middle center. There were two groups of us in two theatres. Rachelle and I had a whole row to ourselves we were the small group as well as the envy of all in the theatre. But what was great was SO many of our other friends showed up and we had sweet seats to give out.

So the movie! I have to say my expectations were quite low. I knew the hair would not be to my liking and I had a few casting issues with minor characters. I consider Jacob a minor in this film, Shark Boy doesn't do it for me what can I say. I didn't expect much from Robert P. As Edward and he really grew on me, pretty fast. My expectations were a little too high for Bella, but she pulled it off for me. All in all I think the script was good, the art direction had some beautiful moments, it was as sappy as it should have been, and the kissing scene was GREAT! I walked out of there satisfied.

Thumbs up for me, what did you think?

Reading depression!!

I recently finished Brisingr the most recently released edition of the Inheritance saga. I must encourage you to read these books if you have not already done so. The inital draw for me was all the hype about a 15 year old author. Christopher Paolini. Eragon was a wonderful book that tugged at my heartstrings as I traveled along with him through his hardships, growth and adventure. This fifteen year old impressed me. Then I read Eldest when it came out and I was blown away with the story. I was left hanging off the edge of a cliff by a fingernail. Christopher's writing had improved tenfold. Brisingr has been an emotional roller coaster and once again, I'm hanging... Which is a love hate thing, I think.

Now I am in reading depression! I'm finished with Bella and Edward and now I'm waiting for the fate of Allegasia... What do I read next?? I'm still working on the Host, its really not doing it for me..

So tell me.... what are you reading?

Whats your reading position?

I like to curl up on the couch under a lamp to read...

My son likes to read lying in his bed.

My mom has recently discovered the ease of audiobooks.

My daughter likes to read in a creative fashion.

What is your reading position?

SPT "The Shade" my take

This weeks SPT topic is the third element of summer "shade". When I contemplated this topic the first thing that popped into my brain was a book. Eragon by Christopher Paolini. There is a character in this wonderful book (written by a 15 year old mind you) called "the Shade"his real name is Durza.

Do me a favor, read the book and stay far away from the movie.

It is just too hot to be outdoors period in Vegas. Even in the so called shade its still hot. Our "shade" here, the cooling shade, the escape from the heat kind of shade is simply an air conditioned indoor spot. Like the conservatory at the Bellagio.When I ponder shade in a Vegas summer, I think of curling up on the couch inside my air conditioned home with a great book, and a creepy character called "the Shade".
(sorry I had to use an old self portrait, I'm on vacation)

"Booker anyone?" (repeat post sorry)

Growing up I was WAY too kewl to be seen reading a book! A Metal Edge, Bop, Hit Parader or Tiger Beat Magazine, for sure, but NEVER a book. Forget Jane Austen, I was way too busy reading up on the antics of Keanu Reeves, Bon Jovi and Ozzy. My scrapbook was not a book it was my bedroom... SCARY I TELL YOU!Well we all grow up sooner or later, as do the celebs we idolize as a teenager, mine are scary these days. Now my appreciation for things published are much much different than my days of yore! I now LOVE to read read read, and listen I must add.
I read a vampire series in my early 20's, (B.B. before baptism) and that was about the extent of my reading. About 4 years (or so) ago I was in an airport with a friend and we went into a bookstore, I was buying a recent installment of the old vampire series, hoping I could stomach it in my now mature minded years. My friend suggested I buy a Harry Potter book instead after I explained my concern. A kid's book? Puh-leez! She insisted I purchase it along with my other choice. What can I say.... she was right! Three and a half weeks later I had gobbled up all 5 available books at the time! (after I had tossed the other book at about page 50) The most reading I had ever done in my lifetime. Thank you J.K. Rowling for sparking a new love in my life. I must admit, I am quite a lofty reader still. I like some romance, I like dragons, I like period and I love to laugh! Can you say novel? I usually have a library book in my lap and a audiobook in the cd player in the car. I commute a ton, so I get alot in this way. Its great, until I find myself still sitting in the driveway waiting for a chapter to end.

I am trying to read classics as well, since I was too busy backcombing my hair as a youth. I loved The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas.. A favored movie of mine too. I never knew what a bibliophile was until recently. I happened upon a rare book store and coveted what I was in the presence of. "First edtion classics" some the price of a small home. So I have started collecting books. I have a few from the early 1900's that I am so excited about.

I am a member at this great site called www.shelfari.com/maryrc . It is a ton of fun for readers out there. Hope to see you there.