i wanna be your bootlegger, i wanna mix you up somethin' strange

I've fallen in love all over again with ... well, technically True Blood, but I've been reading the books the series is based on, and it's just magnificent to another degree now.

Dead Until Dark, the first novel, is absolutely intriguing. Bill Compton is not only less human, but a more sexual character. Sookie and Bill have sex in almost every chapter, since the first time they made love after Sookie's grandmother was killed. The intimate scenes are very powerful, in dialogue and in detail.

Eric, the sheriff of "area 5" is more kind to Sookie than he is in the series. That is more comforting than every vampire except Bill being courteous to Sookie.

Another thing about the book is that half the series has already happened in the first novel. It's amazing, realizing that I'm going to get to experience more than just what I saw on HBO. I wonder how true to the books the HBO series is... it's been pretty identical thus far in my reading. It has sparked a new interest in wanting to watch the series again.

Although the books are rather ... trashy in the sexual department... the book is written in a way that it's very easy to read. It's a wonderful read, though, don't think that since it's easy to read that it's lacking depth... quite the contrary... Sookie is much deeper in the book than she is in the series. The characters, both in the book and the series, are similar. Strong willed, modest (but not with Bill, sometimes), and vocal on her opinions.

I'm almost done with the first book, and I'm third in line to get the second one, Living Dead in Dallas. Something else I question is when Tara is going to make her appearance. Lafayette Reynold has already been in quite a few scenes, and is as flamboyant as he is in the series.

I'm actually quite surprised at how much of the series is in the first novelization. It makes me anxious to read the rest of the series, hoping to find out spoilers for next season's excitement...

But.. enough about Sookie Stackhouse. Let's talk about my Woodwose's.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about it. I've decided that they grew up as slightly "feral children" in the wilderness of the Olympic National Park (which is beautiful, btw, I looked at pictures on Google). Perhaps either they all get anxious about the impending evil coming to destroy Earth and finally integrate themselves into human society (in Seattle), or only one of them gets bored and intolerable of the others and runs off to find something more exciting. I can't decide.

I also can't decide how to actually start it. I mean, the prologue is a prologue. It doesn't actually tie in to the story, it's just like a "Starter Guide" on how the Woodwose's actually work. In the story, however, there will be more information on how they were actually created and what purpose they serve for Earth. They're kind of like aliens, but were born/spawned/created on the planet Earth. I think that once they do integrate themselves in with humans, they will do something environmental like start some volunteer program, or join one, so that there is human contact, also since they don't have social security numbers, last names, or real birthdays, parents, etc.

Something I was thinking about earlier... how I said that wizards were popular first, before vampires... well, Robert Pattinson (Edward in the film version of Twilight), was Cedric Diggory in the film version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (which I have put on hold at the library, just so I can watch him and pay attention to him this time).

Anyways... I'm completely done with school for the Fall semester 2008. No more class until January 7th. My online classes don't start until Jan. 19th, which is a plus; it's also the week that Lost returns. Whoopee!

Another Whoopee: I read that Desperate Housewives has been extended through season NINE. That is quite exciting, do you not agree?

I hope to get my final grades soon. I was exempt from my World Civ 2 final, with a final average of 90 (an A), which was amazing. Today, I took my last two finals: Biology and World Civ 1. I made a 88 on my Bio lab final, which makes me very happy. I'm positive I made an A in my World Lit 2 class, since I made a 100+ on every test we did in class, and a 99 on the research paper I did on "Religious Undertones in the Short Fiction of Flannery O'Connor." I'm quite the genius, if you didn't know already.

p&l
rachel

i've found it

I've been searching for a creature that can become the next biggest thing. First, there were wizards with Harry Potter... now it's vampires with True Blood and the Twilight saga. I read an article about how in 2009 they're going to try to bring the werewolf into the limelight.

Now, it's a little sketchy on if people will connect to this storyline. My creature is called the Woodwose. They first appeared in the artwork and literature of medieval Europe. They are seen as a link between civilized humans and the dangerous elf-like spirits of natural woodlands. Physically, they're supposed to be very hairy and feral.

However, in my story, the "woodwose" are regular people. There are five of them, each coming from a different aspect of the elements - earth, air, fire, water and spirit. They have powers relevant to the element they came from. The idea of these people just being born from the elements is very enticing to me. The conflict is this force that is coming to Earth to destroy everything. They were born to stop it from happening. Very environmental it will be.

Now... my problem is the setting. Where will it be? How old are these characters and what stage of their life are they in? Too too many things to think about. We shall see how it turns out.

I've written the prologue, (in Stephenie Meyer style) and I'll post it here:

Myths aren’t actually myths – they’re real. There are five of us, and we were all spawned from the earth and its other elements: air, water, fire and spirit. Each of us has powers relevant to where we came from. We were generated with all the knowledge of our beings, the history of the Earth, and our task at hand. Something is coming to destroy this planet, and we were created to stop it from doing so. There are lots of names for what we are, but you can call us the WoodWose.

p&l
rachel

honest to blog

I'm watching Juno. My computer is probably on its way out, so this will be a short post.

Tomorrow, I really need to call the Apple people so I can finally get all this over with and get it fixed.

I read the first chapter of Twilight again. I forget how innocent Bella Swan is in the beginning. She's so intent on not being happy in Forks, WA. It's a little cliche, which I remember the first book of the series being. The way Stephenie Meyer writes is right for the tone though. It's told from the POV of a 16 year old girl. It sounds like it's a 16 year old girl. So I guess it fits. It's just right.

I finished a short story. It's not my first, but it makes me so happy that I finished it. It needs a little work. The ending isn't really obvious yet. I had my intentions, but they are not clear, I guess is what I mean. 'The Scouting Isle.' I would post it on here, but ... it's too long. And incomplete.

How many drafts will author go through with one short story? Many, many, many. That is what I know. I wonder how many drafts Chekhov went through to finish The Lady with the Dog.

Jason Bateman is getting fresh with a 16 year old girl on Juno right now.

I can't say enough how much I love Michael Cera. So beautiful he is. Almost as beautiful as Buster. I want to see more movies with him in it. Not the younger, awkward Michael Cera, but the now wonderful Michael Cera.

Why is it with actors it would feel weird just calling Angelina Jolie just Angelina. Or Al Pacino just Al. Edward Norton... calling him just Ed, or Edward. All connotations of the name Edward. It just seems weird.

Jennifer Garner's character wants to be a mom so badly.

BTW: I did, in fact, make a 100 on my World Civ 1 test. GO ME!

p&l
rachel

it's cran-tastic!

Apparently this page has been up for almost an hour and I haven't typed anything yet.

Well, here goes:

I thought of several semi-neat things to talk about today, but now I can't think of anything I was going to write about.

Oh yes. I've been reading The World According to Garp by John Irving, as some of you may know. It has changed my life. I don't know. My perspective on people, writing and other things, I guess. It has rehashed my love for Irving's novels and I feel as though I must read more of him. I still haven't finished Breaking Dawn, which I'm a little ashamed of, but when you don't want a series to end, what else are you supposed to do?

I read in Garp that writers have a very selective memory, and I do believe this to be true, because I can remember things about totally random things, but then not remember exactly what a Golgi Body does for Biology. I should remember those kinds of things.

There is the option of re-reading it, but ... M has my copy of Twilight and has yet to finish it.

L recommended that I read The Cider House Rules, also by John Irving. I'm going to take her up on that, considering X is most likely coming down from Oxford this weekend and she can bring me L's copy.

Sometimes I feel like I'm talking about LC when I talk about L.

Next, perhaps I'll re-read A Widow for One Year and The Hotel New Hampshire. I would re-read Until I Find You, but it's quite large for a hardback book, and I don't want to carry that around with me on campus.

I'm feeling in a very Veronica Mars mood right now. I don't know why. I was reading some quotes from the show earlier. But I couldn't find the quote I was looking for. Oh well, I'll settle for something a little less Veronica-ie and just have something silly. i.e. the title of the blog.

Le sigh. I think I'm going to watch some Veronica Mars just to get it out of my system.

BTW: Kristen Bell has not been on any recent episodes of Heroes, which is making me a little sad, but I know she's gonna come back and kick some serious Company ass when she returns. Oh yeah. Either that, or try to hurt Sylar.

I think I read a theory on Heroes Wiki about Sylar and Elle having a baby though. I don't know what these people are thinking. Although, when Peter went to the future, Sylar did have a little boy there. Dum dum dum. That's supposed to be eerie music for those of you who didn't get it.

p&l
rachel

i love solitaire

I read this on the imdb.com WEEN news:

Meester Born In Jail

2 September 2008 6:29 PM, PDT | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news

Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester was born in jail, according to scandalous new U.S. reports.

The actress' mother was serving a federal prison sentence in Texas when she gave birth, and although baby Leighton was born in a halfway house, her mum returned to prison after her daughter turned three months.

According to America's Star magazine, Meester was raised by a relative while her mother completed time for her role in an illegal drug enterprise.

The publication also claims Meester's grandfather, father and aunt were jailed for drug dealing.

Meester's publicist was unavailable for comment when WENN went to press.

Very scandalous, but not so Blair Waldorf style. Maybe in a parallel universe where Blair was actually really white trash. HA.

Anyway, I watched the season 2 premiere of Gossip Girl, and I have to say I was a little shocked about the newest references to the actual novelizations. For those of you who have read the books, and have not yet seen the episode, it's very interesting. Let's just say something very 'royal' happens for Blair.

Overall, I very much enjoyed the episode.

It's very late, and I was hoping to wake up early, but I don't think I'm going to want to....

I reluctantly began reading the 'Jacob POV' in Breaking Dawn, the final book in the Twilight Saga. I'm not a big Jacob fan, but his interactions with his tribe and the vampires, it's very emotional, I guess. His hate for the vampires, because he's a werewolf, and they're made to destroy vampires. However, Bella Swan is very attached to both Jacob and Edward, the vampire Bella's in love with. And a lot of things are going wrong and there are attacks about to happen. It's all so ... suspenceful.

I will soon post an opinion post on Snuff, since I have recently finished that book. Which reminds me I need to go to the library.

p&l
rachel

ShamWow! you'll be saying 'wow!' every time! (not sold in stores)

Reading the Twilight saga makes me want to be in a relationship, but I know that truthfully, relationships aren't like the one in this series. I would know. I've never met a guy like Edward Cullen.

I've met an Edward, but he was nothing like the one in the series. :(P

It makes me look back at guys I've liked and dated within the past 3 years. I mean, those are the only ones that really count. High school was just training grounds. I wasn't the person I am now when I was in high school. I was in what I call my "awkward phases." I wasn't confident in the kind of person I was. Very insecure.

College really opened up my eyes. I knew in high school that people weren't all complete assholes. In college, I realized that everything didn't have to be so critical about appearances. It was more about the person you made yourself out to be. This sounds all so cliche. High school cliques and whatnot.

I don't think our high school had really "defined cliques." I was acquaintances with many people, although none were really good friends or whatever.

Anyway, I'm watching Dead Men Talking, a forensic crime show on the Biography channel. I love this show. It makes me want to go into criminal investigations. So does Veronica Mars.

I was in Wal-Mart today and I saw that they had Kinoki foot pads. I've seen commercials for them on TV on late-night-television, but now that it's being sold next to lighters and other items that aren't candy in the check out asile. Oh crazy. Only 20 bucks, I think I may do some investing. I don't know where I'm getting this kick on television products.

The past four or five days I've been sick. The first few days I was like sersiouly sick, losing whatnot every 30 minutes. Now I just have a cold, coughing and blowing of the nose, and a damn cold sore. But that happens when I get sick. Or when I go to the fucking dentist and they use latex gloves. (I am slightly allergic to latex) Bastards.

Here's a little something to listen to that I've been enjoying a lot lately.



p&l
rachel

the o.c. still reigns supreme

Needless to say, The O.C. is a completely classic TV show. At least it is, in my opinion. 

Apparently, I haven't been blogging as much as I should be, and I've noticed I haven't blogged either. There really isn't much to talk about.

Ah, I did finish Twilight, and I have to say.... it's worth the read. Although the dialogue is cliché at times, the story is intoxicating. Edward Cullen is a rare man, or well... vampire. I've also started the second novel, New Moon.

In other news, I think my father has quit his job. I don't know if he's going to go back or not, but I'm thinking this is pretty selfish on his behalf. He can't quit his job now, without a back up plan. Without something to fall back on. I mean... now that my mom has a job, we have a good flow of cash coming in, but if he's not planning on going back to work.... I don't know. All I do know, is that this cannot end well, in whatever way this plays out. Never mind.

My sister and I made brownies the other day. They have walnuts in them, and they're incredibly great. Especially with some milk.

Buster keeps scratching his right ear. The outside, not the inside. I wonder why. He doesn't have any bugs. There ain't no bugs on the bug. 

Eh.

p&l

rachel

so many things to say....

  

Currently, I'm watching the first four episodes of The O.C. I absolutely love this show.

I never really liked the Pilot when I first saw it, but I just watched it for the second time today and it was great. I don't know why I didn't like it before. 

I also picked up the book Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer, today. I haven't finished the first chapter yet, but I will report on if it's worthy of being read.

Also, this evening I saw The Incredible Hulk. I absolutely love Edward Norton. He is one of my most favorite actors of all time. Especially his performance in Fight Club. That movie rocks almost as much as the book by Chuck Palahniuk. Which reminds me that I almost bought Snuff today, but it was more expensive than the paper-back version of Twilight. I talked my mom into buying it for me. :)

As for the Hulk movie, it was quite an epic vision of beauty. Tim Roth was fun as a crazy, power hungry military man. The romance between Liv Tyler and Edward Norton was very believable. If their on-screen chemistry would match their off screen chemistry, I'm sure they'd make a very nice couple. Except that Liv Tyler's married. 

I may have to see it again, because when I saw it, I was sitting on the first row in the theatre. I had to look to the left and the right to see the whole screen. It was a tad bit difficult, and now my neck hurts on top of it all.

I've been reading this fan-written book called James Potter and the Hall of Elder's Crossing. I forget the man's name who wrote it, and I'm too lazy to open the file on my computer that I have of this book, complete with drawn pictures at the beginning of the chapters and a table of contents. The book is 405 pages as well. I found it online and there was a .pdf file that you can download to read. Of course, you need the newest version of Adobe Acrobat. 

I have a headache. I think it's because of my sinus. Great.

p&l

rachel

what is this 'twilight'?

I've been hearing a lot about this book series, Twilight, written by Stehpenie Meyer. 

I'm wondering what all the fuss is about.

Vampires, blood lust, Bella Swan and Edward Cullen's forbidden love. Those being the main characters. Now that there's a movie in progress, I think I should get down to the source of the matter. It sounds very "young adult" for my taste, but I'm interested. Some "teen fantasy" is kind of what the summer is asking for. A dark tale for a bright summer? 

However: I'm broke and there's a huge wait list at the library and there are four books in the series. I think all the books are hardback and 400 pages long or something. It sounds like a challenge, but all I need to do is get my hands on the books. Somehow this must happen.....

I should do a 'summer reading recommendations' post, for those lucky few who actually get to grace the beaches this summer. One day I'll actually lay out again too, if it ever stops being so gosh-darn hot outside. Or storming.

 

I'll actually have to do some research for this summer reading post, so give me a little time. ;)

p&l

rachel