It's Christmas time!

I cannot believe it is Christmas Eve!! So, I have finally finished all of my Christmas shopping. I think. I hope. :)

Someone please remind me to start my Christmas shopping in January 2009. I cannot believe I waited until the absolute last minute this year. This year was the worst. That will be one of my New Year's resolutions for 2009: start Christmas shopping early! :)

What made it worse was the fact that the few people I actually had seen things for, I waited to see if I could find anything else. Then by the time I went shopping again, it was too late. I ended up getting gift cards. *gasp* shock* Yes, I know, after my whole speech on gift cards last night, I actually bought three, count them, three gift cards. Oh, well. I thought, and thought, and the clock was ticking. "Its the thought that counts," right?

Either way, its going to be a good Christmas. Why? Because my brother is in town...and I will spend time with my family...I am off of work for a couple weeks for the holidays, so I get to spend time with some special friends that I don't get to see often.....and at this time next year I will be an Auntie! There are lots of wonderful things to Celebrate! Bless you all!

May you all have a Very Merry Christmas!!!

Twilight

Yes, I must talk about it. In one of the last few blogs I mentioned jumping on the bandwagon, and going out to read Twilight. That was before my poor little computer got sick. Well, not only did I read Twilight, in... like, four days just so I could have it read before I saw the movie on the day it came out.... but I went all out. I was halfway through New Moon before I saw the movie... the first time. Yes, I said first time.. I did watch it a second time. Had to. I'll get to that in a minute. So, not long after I saw the movie, I finished New Moon and within that next week I finished Eclipse.... and the week after I finished Breaking Dawn. The only reason it took me so long to finish Breaking Dawn was because I had to work. If I didn't have to work, I may have sat in bed, reading cover to cover all day not even stopping to eat. Yes, it was THAT good.

I will not go into detail about the last three books in the saga, because I don't want to ruin anything for anyone. Everyone has seen the movie (if you haven't you MUST) so I can talk about it.... :)

So, the first time I saw Twilight, the movie, I hated it. I realize hate is such a strong word, but hear me out. The book was FABULOUS. No changes needed. The movie changed A LOT of what was in the book. A great deal was left out and a great deal was added. So, having just finished the book when I saw the movie, I was sitting there the whole time screaming in my mind "NO, THAT'S WRONG! THAT'S NOT HOW IT GOES!!!"

Perhaps it would be better to watch the movie, then read the book... I don't know because that's not how I did it. But, then, after some thought, and especially after reading my favorite blog, Clever Girl, I decided to give it another try. This time, instead not comparing it to what i knew about the book. This time my goal was to watch it with fresh eyes, to watch it for the movie. Period.

So, the second time, it was good. As a movie, it was very good. Still, there is some part in my mind that thinks it could have been better. In fact I know it could have been better. For example...

in the movie, Bella and Edward have just barely met before they confess their undying love. Very unrealistic. That part, drives me crazy. In the book, they get to know each other for weeks before they announce "the lion falls in love with the lamb." She asks him many many questions, he asks her many many questions. They get to know each other better than what the movie shows.

The other big, BIG thing that was changed in the movie that drives me crazy is the whole part around the climax. When the Cullen family meets the other vampires, all the way up until the hospital scene. That whole part was changed, and not for the better. For starters, leaving the baseball game, that entire conversation and exit scene was deleted and changed. What the book had was beautifully written. Then, James' phone call to Bella, the conversation that took place was clever. That's all I will say... you have to read it. Then, the way Bella "escaped" from Alice and Jasper in the hotel. Oh, please. Did they give that any thought whatsoever when they made the movie? Knowing Alice can see what will happen once people change their mind, and knowing their heightened senses as vampires, do you really expect me to believe it would be that easy for Bella to escape? Come on. The book's version? Brilliant. Oh, and not to mention, there is more information on Alice in the book that the movie didn't mention even once.

All of the other parts I can deal with.

Bella's cell phone, that should be an old fashioned computer.
The first encounter with Jacob Black and his father.
Laurent, Victoria, and James' presence before the baseball game.
The combining of two dances into one.
The combining of several of Edward and Bella's trips into one.
The change of cars.
The school trip.
Bella's lullaby scene.
The accident scene.
The hospital scene.
The absence of the blood typing day in school.

... just to name a few. Not to mention, entire conversations that were beautifully written. All of this does not even include things that were thought throughout the book, which, obviously cannot be shown in the movie. I know that. But a lot of the things that were left out, were important too.

All of that being said, I will say some things that were positive about the movie. We'll close on a good note.

The part where Edward saves Bella from the guys in the alley in Port Angeles. That was done well.
Casting was done well. I LOVE Alice's character. And Emmett, and Jasper, and Jacob, and Carlisle, and Esme, Bella's mother, Laurent, James, Jessica... and of course Bella and Edward. They were all great.
The way the Cullen house was depicted. Nice. Graduation caps? Nice touch...
Ok, I have to say this about Edward's room. I actually had several dreams EXACTLY like his room...its kind of creepy. I even dreamt of going in and out of the room through the open wall like that.
Which brings me to my next point, the scene in the trees, that was beautiful.
Prom night, the scenery, the way it was filmed, that was perfect.

Verdict?
Book : ***** five stars
Movie: *** three stars

I am a walking contradiction..

I love to recieve gift cards. Gift cards are awesome, if they are for the right location. Its like a mini shopping spree, its great! BUT, I don't like to give gift cards. They don't really show that the person put much thought into the gift. I don't like to give gift cards unless I am SURE that it is to a place that they love, and that they need and will use it. There is one exception, though. More than I love to get gift cards, I LOVE surprises. And I love to get a great gift from someone who obviously put a lot of thought into me and the gift. My dad did a fabulous job of this last year!

Keeping that in mind, I make things extremely difficult on myself during the holidays. I love to give gifts that show people that I thought about them. I love to make things for people, to show them I put time and effort into something just for them. I am a perfectionist, so I want things to be just right. For example, I am drawing a picture of Marilyn Monroe, one of my sister's favorite people, for her for Christmas. I have drawn 3 Marilyns so far. I am not satisfied with any of these...I may draw a few more... who knows? She may or may not be just as happy with a gift card to Best Buy. One thing about making gifts for people, also, is the price factor. Obviously.

So during the holidays, I scour the stores for the perfect gift for someone. Usually its not something specific I have in mind for someone, but when I see something it just jumps out at me, and screams that person's name: "HELLO! WOULDN'T I LOOK JUST PERFECT IN YOUR DAD'S HOUSE?" That hasn't really happened this year. That's why, at two days before Christmas, I have five unfinished homemade gifts, and maybe three or four gifts that I need to get for people. I know I don't have to put myself through this. I can go down to Fatz or Target and get gift cards and be done with it. I WANT TO. I want to do this. So, I can't really complain. My loved ones who put up with me during this time of year? Bless you.

I stress myself out for weeks, ( because for some reason Christmas still seems like 6 months away at Thanksgiving .. oh, I have plenty of time... right) for what? For the look on that person's face when they open their gift. Because, hopefully, if I did it right, they will know that no matter what it cost, I cared to put time and effort into their gift. And they will just LOVE it. (In a perfect world.) But then, it will all be worth it. I don't care what I get, really. That small heartfelt smile on that one single day out of the year. That's what the craziness is all for. That's all I want.

HOOORAY!!

So it looks like I got one of the things I wanted for Christmas! A week early! My computer, obviously is back. Oh, how I have missed it. My poor darling computer was sick now it has been healed. Just in time, too, since I am off for the next two weeks... Christmas vacations are FABULOUS!!! So, hopefully I will have time to spend on my blog which has been sadly neglected for a while. HOOOORAAY!!!

Normally this would be the point where I say crazy moment over, but, no. That is not my mind. My mind is full of crazy. Its beautiful like that. I love it. I had actually started writing on paper *gasp* **shock** .. yes, its true. I wrote down some of the things that were on my mind... That helped some. It is such a huge weight off to get some of the things in my head out. I may, or may not add what I wrote on paper onto my blog... it just depends. On what, I don't know. I don't really have a point or know where I was going with that. I'm just here. Following where my fingers lead me. The smaller parts of my brain are working now, the crazy chaotic things that float around some of the bigger, (not more important, just more functional) parts of my brain are working with my fingertips to give you what you read on the screen. No thought process whatsoever. I am on vacation. So is the greater part of my brain, apparently..... It's like someone said at work tonight, "I just want to go home and watch something on TV that requires absolutely no thought." I kind of feel like that in a way. I just had a rough and wild night, I am just so thrilled to be home and in my pajamas, with my dear computer back. Dorky, yes. Do I care? No.

Well, I am off to "fry my brain" in front of the television as my mother would say.

See you soon!! (I can actually say that and mean it now!!)