Filed under: A book/movie review (of sorts), I cannot believe I wrote about Twilight, I clearly have nothing better to say
On Thursday, at midnight, I did it. I stood in line with hundreds – seven theaters worth, so that’s my assumption – of teenage girls, book-loving adults, whipped boyfriends and a few others to see New Moon.
And I loved it! Maybe it’s because I started the evening with some SoCo and Yuengling, but the book portrayal was pretty close and Taylor Lautner truly embodied the character of Jacob Black to a tee … and we remember how I feel about Jake, right?
Like many others who saw the first saga film, Twilight, my expectations for #2 were rather low. But with a new director on board – and previews that seemed a bit more promising – my anticipation got the best of me and I bought my ticket a few days in advance. And to say I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome on the screen would certainly be an understatement. Though when you’re expecting subpar, I suppose it’s rather simple to go above and beyond.
Although there were some obvious flaws - including the rather-forced Volturi/Italy scenes, (though it was that way in the book as well, but moreso in the movie) and the slight differences between the book and film (I get it, time constraints, but the movie should always stay as close as possibly to the book context) - I think New Moon was summed up pretty well on the big screen.
….. My rating? 3.7/5 …..
With that said, seeing this movie at midnight (despite the liquid courage) made me more certain than ever that I loathe teenage girls. I’m clearly beyond that point in my life – thank God! – and highly annoyed by masses of them surrounding me at once. I easily could have done without the Ooooing and Ahhhing whenever anything remotely male or sexual occurred. But I knew what I was getting myself into and I’m still fairly glad I took the first opportunity possible to see the latest Twilight installment.
I’ll probably go see Eclipse at midnight, too. I’m super awesome like that. Now, how many months do we have left…? June 30, 2010 cannot come soon enough. I’m already jonesing a Jacob-fix!
P.S. I’ve always been this big of a dork. This is just more proof of that.
I love this tee-shirt!
Well folks, I’m yet again out of town, enjoying a four-day weekend in central Pennsylvania – Happy Valley/State College/University Park/PENN STATE, to be exact.
We Are...!
And right there, within Beaver Stadium, is where I’ll spend several hours Saturday (woohoo, I get to go to a game), cheering on my Nittany Lions!
So try not to miss me too much. I’ll return to the blogosphere on Tuesday. ‘Til then, catch me on Twitter (and take in this weekend’s crazy shenanigans!) and have a great weekend!
I’m about to sound super nerdy …
There is absolutely nothing like a good book.
As most of you who frequent this blog have noticed, I’ve been crazily engulfed in the Twilight series the last few weeks (though I’m nearing the end) and I have the Sookie Stackhouse books already on the back burner for the moment I read the last lines of Breaking Dawn. And sometimes I tend to forget how much I truly enjoy reading; how much I love getting entirely swept away by the fiction on the page.
Sitting down to watch a movie is great. Playing a video game is a ton of fun. But, if you ask my dork self, they don’t even compare to using my own imagination as I sift through the pages of a good piece of fiction. There’s seriously nothing as enjoyable whatsoever, and I often forget that fact, foregoing books for months at a time, instead choosing evenings at the bar or non-stop Guitar Hero nights. But the moment a decent novel makes its way into my hands again, I instantly remember all I love about getting lost in the written word.
However, with this comes a downfall; I tend to get a bit carried away.
When an amazing text comes along, I selfishly throw everything else to the wayside, wanting nothing more than to find out “what happens next.” And in my journey to read each page, I push things aside such as restaurant outtings, fun with friends, quality time with the boyfriend, sleep, etc. etc. Somehow – and this insanely occurred with Twilight - I become so completely engrossed in the book that I decide little else matters ’til I’m finished. Discovering the plot in its entirety moves to the forefront and I absolutely have to read every single word before I can think about rejoining society.
Is it truly possible to get so caught up in a book that reality no longer matters? That you can’t tear your mind away from the plot long enough to function properly in the real world? Because I seriously think it’s an issue I encounter whenever a fascinating piece of literature comes along.
I suppose it’s one thing for a book to envelop you in that moment, where you would prefer not to turn your eyes away from the page. But it seems quite another to find it nearly impossible to stop thinking about plot developments, characters, and a fictional life that is completely unlike your own as you move through the day. Either this is a sign of nerdhood at its finest, complete with an overactive, unwavering imagination, or it’s the true test for a remarkable text.
Does anyone else encounter this issue? Do you find it difficult to pull away from the book so tightly grasped between your hands and return to the mundane existence you actually live? There truly is nothing like being entirely overwhelmed by an amazing book, but is it possible to delve too far into the fiction when escaping reality?
Filed under: I am a dork, I clearly have nothing better to say, My rose-colored glasses, News Girl, The Woes of Work
When my company implemented furloughs – required unpaid days off work – it came as no surprise. Most media outlets were already jumping on that bandwagon, forcing full-time workers into 32-hour weeks to save a few million dollars. But I never realized how grateful I’d be for the free time and the lost wages.
Unlike many others who work in this environment, I have a supplementary income from the restaurant I serve at on weekends. So when the furloughs were announced – one per month through September – I figured an extra shift or two each month would even out the monetary loss. And with just as much cash in hand, I took advantage of the work-free days by relaxing at home, conducting massive cleanups of my entire house or heading out of town to enjoy a long weekend*.
September arrived and I scheduled the last of my furloughs – used, along with paid vacation time, for a trip to the Outer Banks of NC. And then, shortly after returning, the news came: More furloughs would be necessary.
At first I was disappointed. Talk of wage raises was swirling prior to this announcement, but that quickly faded as six additional work-free eight-hour days were planned before 2010.
Less than a day later though, my anger and agitation turned to relief as I remembered how much these furloughs allowed me to do so far this year that was previously beyond my reach when I worked six or seven days each week.
Not only did I visit Scranton on a non-holiday weekend in August, but I traveled to the Outer Banks this month, Virginia Beach in July, Penn State in April, Carowinds in June and so much more. (And thanks to the newly implemented furloughs, I’m heading back to Penn State in two weeks for a four-day weekend.)
These furloughs have strangely provided me with an amazing year of adventures and fun. So perhaps I won’t get a raise – bummer! – and maybe I’ll have to grit my teeth through a few more waitressing shifts, but with so little paid time off, these furloughs have helped me attain a happiness that was slightly missing in 2008 because all I seemed to do was work.
I guess this somewhat defines “turning lemons into lemonade.” I have seriously made the absolute best I could out of a very crappy situation, and what more could I have asked for? My wallet might struggle here and there, but I’m genuinely happy and that’s worth eating Ramen noodles for an entire week on occasion, for sure.
So, have you been in a similar situation where you’ve been able to “turn lemons into lemonade”? I’d love to hear about it. And if you’re in the media business, how have furloughs impacted your lives? I’m curious to find out.
* I suppose it should be noted that I can afford and often schedule one weekend off at the restaurant each month as well.
Strange little post here for you fine folks, but I’m curious about something: Are there words in the English language that you simply cannot pronounce or say?
For me, it’s “specifically” or any variation of the word “specific.”
But what about the rest of you? What is that one word that you try to utter, yet it repeatedly comes out a bit wrong?
Years ago, I had a high school teacher who couldn’t say “aluminum” – Mr. Mazzino for any of you former West Siders – and I always thought it bizarre that he could not pronounce such a simple word. Then I realized that “specific” alluded my lips, being said more similar to “pacific” somehow, and I noticed he was not alone.
And I’m betting many of you out there face the same dilemma with a word or two. So spill the beans and let me know. I’m feeling nosey today!
