One Year of Twilight

It has been a year tonight since I began reading Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1). I bought the first book in the series a couple of weeks before, after joining Facebook and seeing tons of Twilight flair. So, I decided to see what the fuss was about and looked up the books. The story intrigued me. Thinking back, I had seen students reading the books the last couple of years, but had never been interested.

After I bought Twilight, I didn't read it for a couple of weeks. I'm not sure why, other than that sometimes I like to keep exciting/interesting books around to prolong the gratification. I decided, for some reason, that I was going to start reading it the night of Saturday, 14 June.

Of course, I woke up that morning with a bad headache that lingered all day. But, I was determined to begin it, so I did . . . and ended up reading until 3am, when I reluctantly made myself put the book down. I know exactly where I stopped.

I decided only to read the books at night, in order to drag out my joy. I was quite good about it Sunday. It was Father's Day and we went to see Prince Caspian at the movie theater. And I saw my first Twilight poster. Yay!!

That night I kept reading and again read until at least 3am. It was so hard to stop (sort of like how hard it is for Edward to resist Bella's blood).

Monday I was doing a ton of cleaning in my bedroom. My entire bed was covered, as was most of the floor. I worked, but my mind kept wandering to the book . . . which was sitting right there. And who was to say I couldn't sneak a chapter or two . . . except me.

So, I cleared a tiny spot on the floor next to my bed, squeezed down, and sped through a couple of chapters. Then put it down and got back to work.

I finished it that night. My first post about it is here.

And this is what I wrote after I read Twilight for the first time.

One song that makes an appearance is "Clair de Lune" by DeBussy. I had just been in a little "Atonement" phase and that song is on the soundtrack. After I read that part in the book I started playing it over and over and over and it became my Twilight song. It fits so perfectly. Now every time I hear it I feel all thos emotions again.

Tuesday I went to the story and bought the next two books, New Moon and Eclipse. I wasn't going to do any reading except at night, so I had to wait until I got home Tuesday evening to start New Moon. I ended up staying up really late that night and then threw my "only before bed" rule out the window. I read it as much as I could and finished it Wednesday night.

I began Eclipse and did the same and finished it at 4am the morning of 20 June, which just so happens to be Edward Cullen's birthday (haha). I was enthralled.

And one of my best friends began reading the books after she saw I was, so we were enthralled together.

This past year has been a Twilight year. The fourth book, Breaking Dawn, came out on 2 August 2008 and we had a Breaking Dawn Weekend.

Then in November the Twilight movie came out. Amazing. Another Twilight Weekend. And now New Moon has been filmed. It seems like years, but it has only been one.

I love it. So I'm going to read it again (again again) tonight. :)

Happy 23rd!!!

I would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to one of my favorite actors & Englishmen, Rob Pattinson!

Happy Birthday, Rob!!!! May you have a lovely and blessed year!


Thank you for sharing your talents, acting & singing & music, with all of us crazy fans, and for being a funny, charming, adorkable, special guy! And especially thank you for introducing us to Bobby Long, Marcus Foster, and Sam Bradley.

I <3 How To Be:


And from Twilight:

Twilight out tonight!!!!

I'm so excited! Only a little bit of time left before Twilight (Two-Disc Special Edition) is out here! I've heard such good reviews of the dvd. Director Catherine Hardwicke really put a lot of Twilight-Love into it and I'm so thankful for that.

I really cannot wait for this! Though, actually, it hasn't been that long since it left the theaters and I think the dvd is really out rather quickly (and still super awesome, way to go Catherine!).


Lots more Twilight-y info here, including other new Twilight products coming out, the books, the people involved!

Remains of medieval vampire found?

This is interesting! Do read the whole story.

LiveScience: Medieval 'Vampire' Skull Found---

The remains of a medieval "vampire" have been discovered among the corpses of 16th century plague victims in Venice, according to an Italian archaeologist who led the dig.

The body of the woman was found in a mass grave on the Venetian island of Lazzaretto Nuovo. Suspecting that she might be a vampire, a common folk belief at the time, gravediggers shoved a rock into her skull to prevent her from chewing through her shroud and infecting others with the plague, said anthropologist Matteo Borrini of the University of Florence.

In the absence of medical science, vampires were just one of many possible contemporary explanations for the spread of the Venetian plague in 1576, which ran rampant through the city and ultimately killed up to 50,000 people, some officials estimate.

Italy's famous canal city wasn't really overrun with medieval Draculas, however.

Right. As we Twilight fans know, the city really overrun with Vampires is Volterra (go read New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2) if you don't understand.).

And the gross probable explanation:

A phenomenon that occurs early on in the process of decomposition - abdominal bloating - is what likely concerned the Venetian gravediggers, Borrini said. When humans die, the body releases a myriad of bacterial gases that cause a corpse to bloat with fluid, usually just a few days after death in the absence of any kind of preservation or protection from coffins.

"During this phase, the decay of the gastrointestinal tract contents and lining create a dark fluid called 'purge fluid'; it can flow freely from the nose and mouth...and it could easily be confused with the blood sucked by the vampire," said Borrini.

If the "vampire" woman was emitting blood from her mouth, the fluid likely moistened her burial shroud causing it to sink into her jaw cavity and be dissolved by the fluids, Borrini said, making it appear as though she was trying to bite through her shroud. When discovered in that state, a stone was jammed into her mouth as a kind of exorcism to prevent her from potentially spreading the disease further, the researchers think.

Medieval skeletons have been found in a similar state in other parts of Europe, Borrini said.

It is quite an fascinating article!

Dates for HP7!!!!!!!!!

With all the Twilight hysteria this year, I've sort of neglected Harry Potter! (Well, they did move the date of the 6th movie, so what did they expect?)

People: Harry Potter Sets His Final Date---

Mark your calendar: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II will be released July 15, 2011, Warner Bros. has announced.

Part I of the film will open Nov. 19, 2010, the studio said last August. Both films are based on the 608-page seventh book in author J.K. Rowling's series.

No wonder they plan to release Twilight Saga movie 3, Eclipse , in summer 2010, so that it won't compete with the 2nd half of HP7. Nothing's going to stop the last HP film.

Edward & Bella-Closer

I came across this fan-made music video of (yes, of course) Edward and Bella from Twilight. It features a new favorite song of mine, "Closer", from the Kings of Leon and is so well done! I was amazed by it. Apparently the song is about a "lovesick vampire," so it works quite nicely. :)

The video is told from Edward's perspective. Beautifully done!!

Happy Valentine's Day

Coming Soon in the Twilight World!

I haven't posted in ages, so I thought I would ease myself back into it by posting some things I am looking forward to this spring! Basically, they have everything to do with my 2008 Obsession, Twilight (books and movie, mind you!).

First of all, I am super excited for Twilight (Two-Disc Special Edition). It is supposed to come out at midnight on the 20/21st of March. My sister and I are going to get it and watch it and, honestly, freak out. I cannot wait to have it in my hands. There are lots of awesome versions offered by different stores.

The common special features are:

• Presented in widescreen format only
• Audio commentary by Catherine Hardwicke, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattinson
• Muse music video: "Super Massive Black Hole"
• Paramore music video: "Decode"
• Linkin Park music video: "Leave Out All the Rest"
• Five extended scenes with director introductions
• Five deleted scenes with director introductions
• Seven-part documentary: "The Adventure Begins: The Journey from Page to Screen"
• Comic-Con "fandom" piece
• Comic-Con NY sizzle reel
• Three trailers

I can't wait to hear the commentary, featuring stars Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, and director Catherine Hardwicke. I read an interview with Catherine and she said she thought of doing a commentary with some of the technical people but decided to go with a gigglefest fun-time instead. Thank you, Catherine!

Secondly, (coming out before the dvd, but in the same week) Twilight: Director's Notebook: The Story of How We Made the Movie Based on the Novel by Stephenie Meyer by movie director Catherine Hardwicke. It looks awesome! I cannot wait to sit down and page through it. From all the actors and director have said, they seem to have had an amazing and hilarious time filming. From the description, "Designed to replicate the director’s own personal notebook that she kept on set, readers will discover the inside secrets on wardrobe, storyboard sketches, behind-the- scenes photographs, personal notes about Catherine’s favorite scenes, and much more." Fabulous!!

Here are some of my other favorite Twilight products:

The books, obviously!
Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)
New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2)
Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3)
Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)

I LOVE the soundtrack: Twilight Soundtrack I hadn't heard most of the groups on it before, but once I started listening I loved them. Rob Pattinson, who plays Edward, has one track on this version, titled "Never Think." It was written by him and a friend, Sam Bradley, a couple of years ago. It is beautiful. He has a second track, written by friends Bobby Long and Marcus Foster, on the iTunes only version. These two songs play during really special parts of the movie and add such a rich layer. Beautiful! They are all talented musicians/songwriters. The soundtrack also features Muse, Collective Soul, Linkin Park, The Black Ghosts, Paramore, and more.

I loved the score in the movie, as well, so here it is: Twilight: The Score Carter Burwell did a lovely job!

And, last but not least tonight, Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion. A really cool book full of photos and info on the movie, the actors, and everything else!

My posts on the Twilight Saga are here.
Author Stephenie Meyer's website is here.
And here are links to a couple of my favorite Twilight world websites:
Twilight Lexicon (Bella's bio here---beware spoilers!)
bellaandedward.com

Last Post of 2008!

When 2008 began, I didn't really think I would have much to look forward to, in that I had no big events planned (like the Josh Groban concert in 2007!). But I was wrong. This really was the Year of Twilight. I discovered and fell in love with the books and then had the first movie in the series to look forward to in November. As I look back on the year, it really was full of fun and interesting things. But Twilight tops them all.


Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.

---William Shakespeare, the Tempest,
Act IV, Scene i, Lines 148-157

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Great interview with Twilight star Rob Pattinson!

Lucky Me-Pt. 2

Lol

Lucky Me

Which Twilight Character Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

I'd love to be Bella!

OME*!

Wow, that was fabulous! I just got home from my date with Edward Cullen (aka seeing Twilight) and just don't want to go to sleep! I loved it! Fortunately for me, I am seeing it again tomorrow!

Did you see it? What did you think?

I'll write more tomorrow!

(*OME=Oh My Edward!)

Leaving for My Date With Edward Soon!

:D I'm leaving shortly to go wait in line to get into TWILIGHT!!!! I am so excited and can hardly wait. In honor of the movie, I'm wearing my new Twilight cast t-shirt. I might post after I get back, but that probably will be close to 3am.

Happy viewing!

TWILIGHT Tonight!!!

I'm quite excited today (and up very early---hours now! lol) because TWILIGHT comes out tonight at 12:01am!!! I have been looking forward to this movie since summer and have only been getting more wound up about it as the date drew closer. It is going to be fantastic!

This morning Rob Pattinson (Edward Cullen) and Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan) were on the Today Show. Here is their adorable interview:



Rob's been named one of People's 100 Sexiest Men (I agree!!)



And here are a couple of Parade interviews with Rob and Kristen, plus some video interviews with the cast and an ultimate Twilight quiz.



If you are going to see the movie, what are you most excited for?

Ahhh! I can't wait!!! :)

Rob Pattinson: Adorable Interview

Absolutely adorable interview of Rob Pattinson who is playing Edward Cullen in Twilight the movie by Laura Culpepper, a fan who won some sort of MTV contest and got to interview him in the summer. This is the 2nd time she's gotten to interview him and it is absolutely hilarious and adorable.

It is in 3 parts and the transcript is here.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

The Twilight Trailer!

Ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!! I cannot wait for this movie!

Twilight HD Exclusive Trailer

I want to visit Forks!

This is a fun article about Forks, Washington, a small town on the Olympic Peninsula, that author Stephenie Meyer used for the location of her Twilight Saga. She found it by Googling the "rainiest place" in the United States.

AP: Visitors flock to timber town for Twilight's magic---

FORKS, Wash. - Pounding rain and heavy mist are constant in this timber town where logging's decline left a graveyard of rusting timber mills and unemployment. Businesses shut down. Parts of the local high school were condemned. Families started to drift away.

Until an unlikely cast of vampires breathed new life into the town.

"I fell in love with it," says 18-year-old Samantha Cogar, who dragged her grandparents on a 2,500 mile roadtrip to Forks from Louisville, Ky., earlier this summer. "I can't wait to go back."

Cogar is one of thousands of visitors who have flocked to Forks in response to "Twilight," the hottest series to hit shelves since "Harry Potter." Set in Forks, on the gritty edge of the Olympic Mountain Range, the books have captured the hearts of readers around the world.

In a town framed by towering Douglas fir, hemlock and spruce and the occasional western red cedar, where rough, blue collar edges are tangible, the unexpected attention seems to be a second chance for the economy. Inspired by a world of make-believe, "Twilight" fans are bringing the town back to life.
[. . .]
As the pages kept coming, the series' cultlike following increased. Before long, fans started showing up in Forks, looking to see if magic would spark when imagination collided with reality. What they found was a two-stoplight town where more than a foot of rain falls each month. A place where success is measured in sweat and four-wheel drive.

But Forks was quick to embrace the frenzied fans.

Forks' "Twilight"-inspired turn has been nothing short of magical, Marcia Bingham, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, says.

"We've probably had more than 100 people a day," says Bingham, who has eagerly watched as van after van of giddy readers — mostly female — pull up in front of the town's visitors center.

I would love to take a trip to Forks!

Happy Birthday, Bella!

If book characters were real people, we would celebrate their birthdays. So, today I'm celebrating Bella Swan's birthday!

Bella is the main character in one of my favorite series, the Twilight Saga. If you haven't read the four books, I highly recommend them. The titles are:

Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)
New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2)
Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3)
Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)

The Twilight film comes out 21 November 2008 and stars Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen and Kristen Stewart as Bella. I can't wait for it.

My posts on the Twilight Saga are here.
Author Stephenie Meyer's website is here.
And here are links to a couple of my favorite Twilight world websites:
Twilight Lexicon (Bella's bio here---beware spoilers!)
bellaandedward.com


Happy Birthday, Bella!

Twilight Links

Here are some Twilight links I have enjoyed today and thought I would pass on.

Here are two from Blast Magazine---Warning! If you haven't read the series or Breaking Dawn you might not want to read them:

• Top 10 Twilight series moments

• Top 10 Jacob/Rosalie moments in Breaking Dawn

I don't think I could pick out my Top 10 Twilight series moments yet. I'll have to think about them.

And here is a great article from WSJ.com about how True Love Waits in the Twilight Saga.

And for my friend, Lady Lori, MTV's Twilight Tuesday: Jackson Rathbone Explains Jasper's Angst And Edward's Attraction

Here are the Twilight Saga books:
Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)
New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2)
Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3)
Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)

And here is what I wrote after I read Twilight for the first time.

Take some Twilight quizzes through here.


Official movie website here.
Author Stephenie Meyer's website is here.

Here is the trailer for the film!

Official Twilight the Movie trailer in HD