All ABout The Bengals
I've been working a lot this past couple of weeks, and not home as much as usual, which is fine, I am here enough, and well within reasonable cat care and attention, but it must be admitted, these ARE Bengals, who do demand a bit more, at times.
Thought I might appease them and do a quick post Thanksgiving Bengal post.
Welcome to life with Bengals.
More videos of the Royals, by Cat Mihos, shot last week while she was here.
One of my poster frames fell about off the wall, most of it anyway, which is fine, except it has apparently traumatized Luka to the point where he is NEVER going down the stairs again AND he will not eat.
This is huge. As is Luka.
Mab is lovely and sweet as ever. The little darling has shredded her Purr Mat I got her, and put in her favorite place to sleep, by the heat vent. Purr Mats expand when shredded. She has made a lovely Nest of the thing. She looks out from it. I am thinking of buying her a second so she can make a proper cave.
Venus is still guarding the piano for all she is worth, if it HAS to be here, it is going to be HERS. If truth must be spoken, she is getting to be quite a good player. Much better than me.
Mim is sitting on my shoes in an ecstasy of worship. Mim has a Thing about shoes. Anyone's, not just mine. Shoes are the BEST. I can kind of understand that, I like shoes myself. Mim does not, however, wear shoes, so it is a little puzzling.
Magic seems to feel the need to catch me up at length on his life in the last 12 hours since I have been here. Loudly. Don't quite get it all but apparently it was eventful.
If I had remembered to bring Camera home, this post would no doubt have a lot more lovely photos, but alas, the best laid plans of Mousies and Me, often go awry. (especially for Mousies here in this house. We can call it #MousiewinterhomeFAIL.)
And anyway, high time I got back to work...
Hope you day is as full of adventures as mine.
I love these guys.
Love and Bengals,
Lorraine
Thought I might appease them and do a quick post Thanksgiving Bengal post.
Welcome to life with Bengals.
More videos of the Royals, by Cat Mihos, shot last week while she was here.
One of my poster frames fell about off the wall, most of it anyway, which is fine, except it has apparently traumatized Luka to the point where he is NEVER going down the stairs again AND he will not eat.
This is huge. As is Luka.
Mab is lovely and sweet as ever. The little darling has shredded her Purr Mat I got her, and put in her favorite place to sleep, by the heat vent. Purr Mats expand when shredded. She has made a lovely Nest of the thing. She looks out from it. I am thinking of buying her a second so she can make a proper cave.
Venus is still guarding the piano for all she is worth, if it HAS to be here, it is going to be HERS. If truth must be spoken, she is getting to be quite a good player. Much better than me.
Mim is sitting on my shoes in an ecstasy of worship. Mim has a Thing about shoes. Anyone's, not just mine. Shoes are the BEST. I can kind of understand that, I like shoes myself. Mim does not, however, wear shoes, so it is a little puzzling.
Magic seems to feel the need to catch me up at length on his life in the last 12 hours since I have been here. Loudly. Don't quite get it all but apparently it was eventful.
If I had remembered to bring Camera home, this post would no doubt have a lot more lovely photos, but alas, the best laid plans of Mousies and Me, often go awry. (especially for Mousies here in this house. We can call it #MousiewinterhomeFAIL.)
And anyway, high time I got back to work...
Hope you day is as full of adventures as mine.
I love these guys.
Love and Bengals,
Lorraine
173 Comments:
LOL...I love the Bengal stories. My friend's daughter is fostering one right now. So far, so good!
Poor Luka. Hope he recovers his confidence soon.
I like the idea of a play-off on the piano between you & Venus.
Does she play the organ, too? Or doesn't it work without the pedals?
Quick ticky box - will come back and look at the videos later
Does Luka play on the tree, or just hang out waiting for steak to be thrown?
Awww, Magic missed you!!
Not eat? Oh no! We are hyper-vigilant about kitty eating as Calvin has lost so much weight. Maybe Luka can lose a few ounces.
Sounds like you're having a great weekend :-)
Hooray for Bengal time. All this silly horse stuff... pshaw!
I have the day off, and plan to drink lots of tea and write and play with string. I've mostly managed the tea part so far, but I have a project open at least.
I'm so behind - i have to go and get caught up on blogs to see who Luka is!
Mistress, you ought to have some Bengals if what you like to do is play with string. It's one of their best tricks.
Lyndon, Luke was King Lear the Huge, an F2 foster I had that we decided could not be adopted out, he is pretty specific in his needs, and the right home turned out to be ME...
He hated his name tho, but likes Luka.
Ohhhhhh...ok...not a new Bengal, but a re-branded one! Cool! :)
I am so happy for you that you now have a horse, btw. And what a gorgeous horse, too!
Lorraine, introducing Bengals to my string would be... counterproductive.
Rebranded? LOL
Yeah, the combination of string and cats has always been a bit problematical :-)
counter productive, but probably entertaining :D
some idiot had a right idea od having a promotion start at 11:59pm last night, and of course it all went pear shaped. well I was asleep. so now i'm going to go look at it and see if anything else needs fixing.
They shall revolt if you are not more careful...
Hooray for the bengals! Love those kitties. They are lovely.
Ours were also left alone overnight. They were so happy to see us when we got back this afternoon that they went and had a nap.
I am making turkey soup. Whole house smells fabulous. Hooray for my mother not wanting the carcass! She's missing out.
Nathilie, they are already revolting.
Jess, lovely your Mother gave you a carcass....
I just want to say tho, string an cats ROCK. Really. Try it sometime.
Well, the cat certainly thinks so. But after I've spent a certain number of hours working with it, the string moves out of the class of cat toy. And since most of mine meets that definition, I prefer to not encourage the habitat. Think of it like the Bengals eating all your bows.
The first night I had Morgan, when he was a fluffy little kitten, he spent the entire night behind the refrigerator, curled up with the warm rumbling compressor motor crying. Except for the excursion in which he found the naturally-dyed wool yarn (believed to be out of cat reach - hah!), and spread it all around the apartment.
He's lucky he survived the first six months.
I'm impressed you are able to keep Morgan away from all your strings and things Phiala...cats know how to find the stuff.
The Royals have the MOST adorable little faces. I just want to reach through the computer screen and love them.
Sally, in Q's house the cats get their own rooms. In my house, the string gets its own room. Morgan doesn't have a chance to get at it.
Because FODS that would be a mess!
Totally makes sense Phiala.
Jess, my mo-in-law always has Thanksgiving with her husband's daughter's family. We haven't gone for years. But every year, they send me the carcass, because amongst the 6 families, no one else wants it! This year's had tons of dark meat still attached. They feel virtuous and I feel blessed. And well fed. And this year I have a carcass from our own, small, smoked turkey, which I bet will made fantastic soup. Currently in freezer.
And nothing makes the house smell better, not even granola making!
We just switched Internet services and cannot work videos or photographs right now, unfortunately. We've still got some progress to make. Too bad I'm so horrid with technology. The most I can do is type like a maniac with a keyboard fetish.
I hope Luka feels better soon. And that's great that Mab is so happy.
Can't talk now, fighting with what feels like the entire internet about the redeeming, moral qualities of the Twilight saga...
Team Jacob.
(backs away from Twilight discussion) You don't want my input, trust me.
Jacob is a creepy, abusive stalker.
Team Edward.
Edward is a 104 year old stalking a 16 year old.
(why am I entering this? Couldn't read the books and only saw the movie because Mads loves it so)
(seeing it thru the eyes of someone it was made for, and someone you love DOES put a whole new spin on things)
Edward isn't a stalker; if anything he's the stalkee.
But, yeah, the age difference is.... sketchy. I prefer to think of him as a perpetual 17 year old, albeit from a time when 17 was more adult.
Ok, so it is 9 on a Friday night, I am home, (well, work really just now) in my jammies and considering if I should hang on the computer or watch TV.
Wait. Boss left a laptop. I can do both.
Does my night now rock or what????
Any of you lot around?
I want to know about Danguys battle of moral issues of Twilight with the internet. More than that, I really want to know HOW he ended up there or saw the films, none of his kids are old enough to swoon...
Oh me too Dan, I just thru that out to stir the flames as it were.
I can't talk much Twilight. I tried reading the first, and 4 pages in she is in the hospital next to a guy covered in blood and fine, and 6 pages in she is fainting because they had to prick their fingers and she can't stand blood.
Stickler for details.
Once read a book where in chapter 1 the horses were described as "4 bays with white manes and tails" never went back.
I watched half of Twilight yesterday, and intend to watch the rest today. Quite enjoyed what I've seen. I've read all the books, but it was a labour after the first one. Just had to find out what happened, you know.
Just finished watching ep 4 of V. I'm REALLY enjoying that.
I find Twilight unbearably creepy, not because of the vampires, but because of the whole subtext of "soul mate, obsessive love conquers all" and the totally offensive to me quasi-religious undertones. When I asked DD for a one-sentence review, she said "Mary-Sue style vampire fan fiction that gives girls a scary definition of romance."
Lots of vampire stuff out there I like...Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs.
Just my .02
And quite poorly written, without engaging enough characters that I'll put up with poor prose cause I want to see what happens.
Family here - no computer access during the day, because family is using it. No time for fiendishness. Tick and run.
And a very happy Firbday to our Nathalie!
happy day for Nathalie:)
vampires do not sparkle.
i did not buy 1 present today, corporate holidays be damned.
I didn't shop either. Hate crowds. I did sign up for about a gazillion more workouts with Abbey The Trainer.
I like the Twilight books, but I'm not too critical sometimes about my reading material. It's true, though, that thinking too much about them kinda ruins it. On the other hand, I got The Stupidest Angel (A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror) in the mail this week and find that it's a zombie book. Tres courant! Also, Jennifer Brehl is Chris Moore's editor, too. She RULES.
Binky (with Peaches watching intently) just chased a black spider toward my chair. I'm starting to feel itchy as a result. Twitch. Probly should go to bed...
All the Bengal Ladies,
All the Bengal Ladies,
All the Bengal Ladies,
All the Bengal Ladies.
If you liked it then you shoulda bought a featherstick,
If you liked it then you shoulda bought a featherstick,
Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh!
Fluffy -I love you!
Hi, Sally! I lurve you, too!
It's 1 am - I need to go to bed for sure. First, though, brush off any spiders.
You have made me want to watch Glee with that earworm *sigh* loves that show
Happy Firbday Nathalie !! Have a lovely day.
Fluffy, that is brilliant!
The Twighlight thing? I read the first one to see what the fuss was about - found it really uncomfortable (when I asn't just being annoyed by sparkly vamps) but couldn't quite pin dowbn why. The next day I was dealing with a client who was suffering domestic abuse & it clicked that that was what had been bothering me; Bella behaves exactly that was (like a long term DA victim) and this is presented as a good/desireable relationship. haven't seen the movie or read the later books . Normally I give books I don't want to keep to the library, and I didn't feel quite comfortable doing that... (waits for Dan to smite me)
you HAVE to go and read what Toni linked to on Facebook then.
Oh, that's rude of me.
For those of you not on FB Twilight Stonified
Have nothing on Twilight. No, really. Nothing at all. Team Clueless?
Fluffy--you are a GENIUS!!! I love you SO MUCH for that!!!!! humming off, stage left....."if you liked it, then you shoulda" ...
Though I must say, I'm with Q on the continuity/consistency issues (so...is a bay w/white main and tails a sunburned palomino?)
and have been known to throw a book across the room if it greviously fails in that way.
Sometimes across the room equals into a fireplace.
Not that I would EVER advocate book burning. But sometimes my aim is .... hazardous.
I've been known to throw books as a quality-control measure. Once, I even jumped up and down on one. A couple were so bad I couldn't even inflict them on the used book store. Don't know why I'm not so stringent with some of them.
Happy Birthday Nathalie! \o/ (In this case it's yay arms and also a hug.)
There's this really great book with vampires in called Dracula. People should read it.
I don't like Twilight because it is a hideous combination of necrophilia and pedophilia. And Edward is a stalker! "You smelled so good so I crawled through your window and watched you sleep ..."
Hope I didn't offend anyone (Dan Guy).
Marjorie, that's it exactly!
And Joyeux Anniversaire a Nathalie. (I cheated...but now this looks wrong to me. Isn't Joyeux the plural?) So Happy Firbday as well.
Afternoon/Morning all.
Excellent point on Bella, Marj, I will use that as a more valid response than my usual as to why not to read them. Though anything that gets kids reading has some merit in my book (hehehe).
I second the Jess motion to read Dracula, and not just 'cause it was written by some crazy Irish guy. Or listen to the audio read by Richard E. Grant, he has the perfect voice for it. Coincidentally, I rewatched Buffy vs. Dracula last night while I was making Mango & Brandy Bread (like Banana Bread but yummier).
For those of you who like Twilight: The Vampire Diaries is better. It's got the same creepy pedophilia/ necrophilia undertones, except the characters are actually well thought out and they actually have plots that don't just revolve around angsty love and the villains going after the female protagonist because she smells good.
Vampire Diaries is my guilty pleasure. I never threw the books against the wall out of disgust like I did over and over again with Twilight. (Glutton for punishment.)
The other thing for me about Twilight is that is really really REALLY ought to have been written in third person. First person should let you BE the character, and also let you get a sense of the character from the outside. I don't think Bella had any personality, and if she did, I got no taste of it.
I love your Bengal stories. Though they are a little hard for me today. And I hate being a downer but I know that everyone here will understand. We came home last night from my brother-in-laws house and found one of our kitties passed on. She was only nine and fabulous and I am going to stop talking about it now before I start crying all over again.
So sorry to hear that Cecily (((hugs)))
Cecily, so sorry to hear your sad news...
Thanks. I'm still kinda in this foggy shock. It's just wrong.
I am really sorry, Cecily.
Cecily, sorry to hear that. and such a shock, too.
Louia, I agree that reading something is so much better than reading nothing. maybe if they re-packaged Dracula with Twighlit-esque covrs (lke they have wuthering Heights) more teens wuld read it...
Happy Birthday, Nathalie!
Couldn't get through more than one or 2 chapters of Twilight. Saw the movie (by myself, no one would go with me) and that was it for me. I totally could not understand the charm of that series, but I am old, after all :-)
But love the whole vampire supernatural thing, generally.
Just finished reading Her Fearful Symmetry, disappointing, esp after The Time Traveler's Wife, which I loved.
Jane, I'm seventeen. I can barely stand Twilight.
Oh Twilight...I read the first book (on the Kindle so no one could see i was reading it!) and liked the first third of it or so. I like the rethinking of the vampire stories--they *can* go in the light but don't because they sparkle....weird but it intrigued me. Then it just got sappy and creepy--and not in a good way. NO desire to see the movies. I see very few movies these days that aren't animated and that's not going to be one of them.
Cecily - Hugs :( Our cat is 18, i'm wondering when we'll come home to find him no longer of this world.
Nat - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
We're having a lovely time in Mendocino. We've found about 5lbs of porcinis and about 7 or 8 of chantrelles. I'll be posting to the Hardcore section of Foodporn with pics when we get home. I've made 3 dishes w/ chantrelles and still have a bagful in the fridge....what a decadent problem to have.
Emily, you are a unique 17 year old, at least that is how you seem. And have good taste :-)
Love mushrooms, drool drool..
I only have canned mushrooms, and Serious usually gets dibs on about half the can, because he cries louder than I do when he doesn't get them. :(
I just got back from getting takeout Chinese, and my curry chicken tastes creepily like curry hot dogs. :(
I was going to say "Good Morning!" but I see I am tardy. Except maybe in Oz...
'Carpe Jugulum' is Terry Pratchett's vampire novel. It combines creepiness, hilarity and heart as most of his books do. I really like the audiobook, tho, with the accents.
I still like the Sookie Stackhouse books best, though (EXCEPT for 'Sunshine' - best vampire book ever.) They have a logical basis for the characters' motivations.
So - on an unrelated note - any good movies out? We're thinking about going tonight.
Fluffy - I think you would have fun in my library :-)
We saw Pirate Radio yesterday. Just OK, some good scenes and performances but doesn't really hang together well.
Love the Bengal vids. So beautiful!
I read the first Twilight book for my book club. I was prepared to really hate it and I didn't. I didn't love it at all but I understood the appeal. I totally agree that aside from the not so great writing the "message" for girls was pretty objectionable. I had some contentious discussions with friends who did not feel that way and felt that it was not a message at all but a pretty good capture of what first love/young love feels like. I doubt I'll read any more of them, but you never know. I do find myself in the mood for what I think of as "junk food" reading from time to time.
I am glad that so far the godchild (13 year old girl) is very very not into them. At. All.
Many thanks, fiends!
Cecily, I am so sorry to read of your loss.
Cecily, I am very sorry for your loss.
I LOVED the Twilight series, except New Moon, which was boring. They reminded me of my pre-teens when I had so much passion but had no clue for what, lol. I think you are all confusing this series with literature. These books are made to sell to a specific group, unless we older ones want to remember the kind of "love" we could only imagine was waiting for us. I remember reading the first chapter and thinking a lot of young readers are going to find this very exciting.
Chantrelle- I had a cockatiel for 20 years, got her for my 8th birthday. The last year of her life everyday I would come home and go check on her, first thing, and there was always this breathe of relief, until there wasn't. I feel ya, it's hard when our animal family ages.
On a happier note, Fluffy, I haven't seen anything in the theater in a while, but on DVD I watched The Proposal last night. We wanted something funny and light hearted and feel good. And it was! It co-stars Betty White, who is by far one of the most fabulous actress ever. Betty White always cheers me up. :-)
And thanks everyone for the love. I knew I could count on the fiends for some support. :-)
Happy (Likely Belated) Firbday, Natalie!!!
{{{Cecily}}} You bet we understand.
Brava, Fluffy!
Can't do Twilight. Rented the movie out of curiosity, but was bothered and not hooked, for all the reasons elaborated above.
And for some reason I've yet to understand, Carpe Jugulum is the one Pratchett book I've read that I didn't like. ?!?
Ooh yum! Congrats on the mushroom haul, Chantrelle!
Wintery day here - sun so low in the sky but I'm grateful it's out.
I said it on Facebook but I'll say it here as well: Nathalie, Happy Birthday, and of course 生日快了！ since I can't speak French, Italian, or German, and speak much better Chinese than Dutch.
Cecily, I am so so sorry. I am going to go and hug all my furries now.
Hi Lorraine and fiends, I am sorry I have been very neglectful of you, of blogs, been active on some bengal boards and active in Bengal rescue and that is something! Hubbys Mom is in a nursing home and we have been going through some pretty difficult stuff.
So, that said, Lorraine congrats on your beautiful new horse.. does beautiful horse have a name yet? I guess you didn't like Cairo. I well remember my first horse I bought, unfortunatley that was the one who bolted and broke my spine.. so wishing you soooo much joy and fun and no bad stuff with your lovely horsey.
The blog on the holidays was fantastic and soooo true! We are doing what we want in every way this year and having a lonnng break.. can't wait!
The videos of Magic are awesome, he is gorgeous, one day we would like an EG too.. one day. But for now my beautiful Sakura has not peed for a loonnnng time, touch wood she is content and happy and loves Mommy.. she comes running to greet me every time I come home now. I gave her a perch and a mate and she loves me, what more could I need?
Cecily.. so very sorry. I lost a 10 yr old in September, it is terrible, sending you hugs.
I now have 4 Bengals in the house including 2 fosters.. catching up to you Lorraine!
I'm sure Luka will come around and start eating again. Probably come back down the stairs, too, once he sees his queen do it safely. Lovely videos!
Happy Firbday, Nathalie!
Let's hear it for Sagittarians!
{{{{Cecily}}}} It's so much harder when you're not expecting it. ::sigh::
I've heard the "Edward as Abusive/Creepy" accusation frequently, but I just don't see it. The only case I've seen actually made for it relied on things taken way out of context, and was clearly an attempt at comedy. I tend to suspect that the indictment has just taken on a life of its own and is being repeated unevaluated and/or influencing people's reading.
Today I got a 1920 player piano!
Dan, I read Twilight without reading anything else about it first, and found Edward to be exceedingly creepy, obsessive and stalkerish. Not that Bella was a prize either.
Additionally, I've held my bile and read some really bad writing before and the Twilight books are nowhere near it. They're not art, certainly, but they start out serviceable and get better as they go along. J.K. Rowling got the same flack when she was starting out.
The only stalkerish thing that I can think of that Edward does is sneak into Bella's room while she sleeps. I don't have a problem with that, especially after reading "Midnight Sun" which presents things from his perspective.
I'm at a loss to think of anything else that qualifies. I've only read the books the once, though.
Dan:
To me it seemed that Edward was a bit stalkerish and creepy. One of the big problems I had with the book was the relationship he had with Bella was very dysfunctional. It actually reminded me of a relationship I had with an abusive ex, which is probably why I couldn't stop reading it. To me the problem wasn't necessarily that he was abusive, it was that two people who barely knew each other got caught up in a creepy, obsessive lover affair. I can also see how the story line would be attractive to people. I just couldn't read the entire series without a constant gross feeling in the back of my mind. I like The Vampire Diaries because the female protagonist is a lot less passive. Bella is too much like how I am, and Elena from VD is a lot like how I would like to be.
Also, I just noticed the open ID thing. I figured I'd try it out. I'm still the regular Wendy trying to figure out the internet.
Interesting comments about Twilight. We may indeed not be the target audience. But I did expect to like them, and didn't.
And I've read worse writing, too.
So, Vampire Diaries are recommended? I'll take a look.
However, the remainder of the Vorkosigan saga landed on my front porch today, so I'll happily be in SF space for a while :-)
People keep saying that, but I'm not seeing any examples.
I don't have any problems with love at first sight.
Dan:
My problems were more with Bella. Edward acted like he didn't like her in the beginning, but that didn't dissuade her. He admitted he'd been breaking into her house to watch her sleep, and that didn't bother her. When he told her he was leaving town, she broke into a horrible depression that lasted months and involved suicidal risk taking. She didn't see to care that he kept warning her she was putting her life in danger by being with him and his family. These are all troubling behaviors I could see myself taking part in, and I have seen similar behavior exhibited in other girls and women I've known. Edward's just kind of forgettable. I actually liked Jacob and Alice the most out of the books. Even though Jacob had a giant crush on Bella, you didn't see him breaking into her house to watch her sleep. And, Alice knows herself and uplifts the other characters in the books.
I also have a history of disliking weak female protagonists because of the things I don't like in myself. Even Netflix knows I like romantic films with strong female leads.
I actually enjoyed reading the Twilight series, when I wasn't throwing the books across the room. The more I thought about the protagonists, the less I liked them, though.
I am loving reading Dan's defense of Twilight! Go Dan! I love hearing that point of view.
I have no problem with love at first sight. And lots of great stories have been built around obsessive love. But I do think Bella tosses aside her "self" a bit too completely and easily for my taste and I do believe that it has an impact about how young girls create their expectations of love.
I love to see kids reading though. In the long run I believe it will expose them to lots of ways the world can be, which I think is a good thing.
Yay for Dan's player piano! What fun!
I love seriously discussing books! It's my favorite past time. Why won't someone hire me to do this?
And, player pianos are awesome. It's like having your very own haunted piano!
I don't think Bella tosses aside her self. If anything, she repeatedly puts herself in danger by refusing to kowtow to what Edward, Jacob, and her father tell her to do.
I love Alice. Especially after reading "Midnight Sun", in which we see how Alice knew that she and Bella would be best friends and that Bella was going to be a vampire from the very beginning and had to keep herself in check.
Here's a little something I've been mulling over for a blog post:
Top 10 Beneficent Lessons Anyone Can Learn from the Twilight Saga
1.) Reason champions nature. One need not act on one's base desires, be they for blood or food or sex. We are not controlled by our animal impulses, but have agency for our own actions.
2.) Reason champions love. It is possible to be in love with someone and yet choose not to pursue a relationship with that person. (This is particularly valuable advice when it comes to guys like Jacob, who are creepy and abusive. Bella recognizes that just because she is in love with him does not mean that she should be with him.)
3.) It is possible to love more than one person concurrently, and to make the decision to embrace only one of those loves. (See also #2.)
4.) Storge and Phileo are as important as Agape and Eros, and should not be confused. Just because you love someone doesn't mean it has to be eros. Family, perhaps especially the family of choice that we create for ourselves, gives us the strength and desire to better ourselves.
5.) Marriage is not the monster. Edward can't believe that Bella begs him to make her a vampire but doesn't want to marry him. Because that would be too serious or something? ^_^
6.) Suffering can be redemptive. Carlisle works as a doctor, surrounded by blood and weakened prey, causing him to suffer, in an effort to use his gifts for good. He does this in spite of his belief that, as a vampire, he is damned regardless.
7.) Immortality and magic powers don't absolve you of the need to better yourself. Bella doesn't see much point in going to college when she's going to be a vampire; Edward knows better. (See also: vampires choosing to be moral)
8.) The is nothing inherently wrong with getting married young. If you intend to spend the rest of your life with someone, why wait? It's your choice.
9.) Don't let a poor self-image sabotage your relationships. Bella spends a lot of time refusing to believe that Edward could possibly love her as much as she loves him, sure that he'll tired of her and leave her. This causes her to make some poor choices.
10.) Regardless of what you've done in the past, you can redeem yourself. Tattooed gang members have nothing on mass-murdering vampires. If Jasper can turn his life around, so can you.
Interesting lessons. Not my cup of tea.
All of them or any in particular?
Very interesting points Dan. Sort of makes me think about reading beyond book 1.
Dan, if your brains were any spicier, I believe your hair would catch fire.
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Dan, I love that you've thought so carefully about these stories. I believe that's why we have stories, to hold mirrors up to ourselves and better know who we are as individuals and societies. However I can't agree with your first point as someone who is fascinated by the Nature vs Nurture balance. Even shallow research into twins separated at birth dispels the illusion of free will. We are hard-coded a lot more than sits comfortably with many of us who are intellectually-inclined. Food, shelter, continuation of the species, nice and simple until Brain is thrown into the mix. But then it's Brain that makes for interesting stories.
It's true there is worse writing out there, but the first person narration irked me particularly.
awww, is Big Boy eating again!? i will go and review comments for clues...xoxo
dear Cecily, am so sorry, it is never right or easy to lose our furry friends...this visit to Boss' house was first time there was no cat in the downstairs library and i too shed a tear. go ahead and cry all you need to, honey.
and Nath-a-law, i missed your bee day!
there will be a 100WoRDS print with your name on it coming to you, as a gift from us Neverwear elves.
and while i resisted the Twilight as long as i could, i read it at Quiche's, ukka, ewwwy. bad writing.
very bad. but! it's drawing kids to books, so A-OK in my book.
and I am solidly with Danth--team Edward, all the way..
100
101 :P
Go, Dan! And don't let your hair catch on fire.
Na - is it vampire books in general that don't appeal to you? How about 'Sunshine'?
I don't think that they are the best things ever, but with so many impressionable youths reading the books and a large number loving them, I want to be able to steer discussion with friends and nieces to the positive aspects of the story and the characters. I agree that Bella and Edward are ciphers, to a degree, enabling the reader to read into their characters and motivations.
I think the thing that struck me about 'Twilight' when I first read it was the passion.
Quite true that there are much much worse books youths could be reading.
Excellent thinking Dan. I did only see the one movie, haven't read the books. And you know what they (and we) say about movies made from books...
Fluffy, nope! I thought Sunshine was a superb piece of fiction, by any reckoning. Enjoyed Dracula when I read it yonks ago. Enjoyed the Charlaine Harris book I read. Love Buffy and Angel as well. So not the vampires. Maybe I read it at a bad moment in time for me.
And if my daughter in a decade catches this Twilight fervor, or other young persons in my life do the same, I will read the books alongside her or them and look for whatever positive things can be drawn from them.
Can you believe, we're STILL finding ladybugs in the house. Urg. Must've been larvae somewhere?
Home. Sleepy. Bag of chanterelles in the fridge. Slices of porcini in the dehydrator. Good times.
Off to bed now, have to get ben to school in the morning.
chantrelle, i imagine your kitchen is filled with warp pipes, bob-ombs, fire flowers and koopas. :)
In case any of you with protected accounts on Twitter were wondering, yes. I am now twitterpated.
And still not in bed!
yes i saw you there ariandalen!
and thank you vampi, i now have earworm.
Fly-by ticky before I catch up. Going away from the internet for a week is tricky!
Thanks Cat. I can't imagine loosing two cats so close to each other. I'm terrified that Lizzie was sick and Westley got it somehow. He's been so sad and it's breaking my heart. Almost as much as having to tell my girls when they got home last night. *sigh*
I wish I could contribute to the Twilight conversation, but I have neither read the books nor seen the movies.
Cecily, it must be so hard. We lost our cat Poppy suddenly after she had a routine op to remove some teeth, her kidneys failed and we had to make the decision to let her go. We think she was around 10 but we were never sure, our neighbours had her from the shelter then neglected and finally abandoned her - then she found her true home with us. The fact that she had her last few years being loved and well looked after by us, and the memories of her, were the comfort after the sudden shock. I hope you find some comfort too, but it does take time. Hugs to you all.
I can't say I've been tempted into reading/watching Twilight - from some of your comments it doesn't sound like it's sending out a very healthy message.
Very tempted reading about all those mushrooms though Chantrelle. Yum :ob
Had a very lovely Sunday evening with boyf & his brother who came to visit - we had a wander through the very twinkly Christmas market (& treated ourselves to delicious freshly made coconut macaroons) then tried to broaden our cultural horizons by going to hear Handel's Messiah by candlelight. The orchestra and singers were done up in period costume & wigs, gorgeous spectacle and I really enjoyed the music despite not being religious, very dramatic & beautiful.
Hellie:
You should definitely read Twilight and decide for yourself! If I ever give up my spinsterhood to have kids, I might make them read it to have frank discussions about the values I would like to instill in my children and how they differ from the values the book seems to champion.
Dan,
I love your serious thought and analysis of the Twilight-verse, and am impressed by the lessons derived.
Wish I thought all those reading were likely to have the opportunity to engage in that level of thinking about relationship.
And, yes, I do think that any reading is good reading...
Last word on that subject, for me!
Spoke to my 12 y.o.(going on 25)niece yesterday. She's read and loved all the books and loved them, loved Twilight the film and is really excited about going to see New Moon this weekend. Asked what she thought about Edward and Bella. Bella is a drama queen is her take on the character.
OMG, cutest boss and afp picture!! From her latest blog.
That is all :)
If its possible, they are getting more and more adorable.
Hello, all.
Turned in three papers today, and rough draft of web site redesign project.
Turn in final paper for one class tomorrow, final paper for other class Wednesday.
Math exam Wednesday.
Finals and Final presentations coming up the week after that.
Sorry to be so boring, but this is my life right now (NOT complaining) and so I don't get to drop in here much.
But wanted to share some good news (at least from my point of view!)--they accepted all of my credits from the Defense Language Institute.
So I am now a junior.
This must be a record for going from freshman to junior (in a week!!) But it is official, and means I get to register Wednesday rather than Friday.
So...thank you. To the universe, and to warm and caring Fiends. This is a VERY positive development.
Now..back to math...and dreaming of porcini and Chantrelle (see what I did there?)
PS SO MUCH love and hugs for Calvin. I really really hope he is doing better....or at least not in any pain. Tell him we all know he is a good and brave kitty, and deserves only the best.
PPS... that *is* a darn cute pic. Am I the only one who thinks Amanda Palmer was born to be a Poppet? Or am I a day late and a dollar short on that one.....
Oh Lys, that is not boring at all!!! It is exciting. Congratulations on all of it. What a year this has been for you. Hurray!
Congratulations Lys!
And yep, AFP is sooo wanting to be poppetized.
Sleepy here. In-laws arrived tonight, had a lovely dinner, had an intense debate about healthcare, abruptly stopped that and moved on to more pleasant topics and they just headed to their hotel and i'm off to bed.
Missing Lady Quiche!!
Thank you, Aleta and Chantrelle!! Two of my fave Fiends. Oh, wait. All Fiends are equal.
Unless some Fiends are more equal than others.... *g*
Lys! That's wonderful news! Not boring at all. :)
Good night, sweet Fiends!
You go Lys -that is great news.
I think if Lisa did an Amanda and Neil poppet (or two, paired) I would HAVE to get them
Lisa has already done a Neil poppet (earlier this year, if I remember correctly) - a special edition one.
yes...and wasn't I tempted by it.
Guess who has a case of Present Face?
(received the latest Dan Brown for my birthday...)
Lys, congratulations on fast-tracking your way through school :-)
Calvin's news of yesterday is that the most recent chemo drug caused his mass (tumor? Vet calls it a mass)to shrink measurably. She is pleased and she is not one to hand out hope when there is none.
We are awaiting the results of yesterday's blood work. Then we start a balancing act between enough drug to shrink the cancer and not enough to be toxic. I live for NOW.
Nat, I'd have present face if I got Dan Brown's newest book :-) Unfortunately the next time that I get a present that requires that face, I probably will start laughing instead!
Got 2 unexpected Lorraine CDs in the mail yesterday - like an early Christmas present. Thank you!
Sally, read your comment on Twilight much too quickly and thought your niece said Bella was a drag queen. I did think Oh, yeah, maybe? Until I reread.
Heh - was the DB from someone who 'knows you like books'?
I would definitely be unimpressed if anyone gave me a copy, although I think I'd be tempted to donate it here which is in the vilalge I grew up in :-)
Jane: I hope Calvin feels better soon.
And, Twilight would have been better with more drag queens. Drag queens make everything better.
Also, if you clicky on my name, you will be redirected to a review of the best movie I've seen all year (not Wisconsin Death Trip) and for you Minnesotans, it appears some time soon they will have a showing of it in the Twin Cities area.
Also, for anyone who hasn't already seen it, may I heartily recommend Maureen John's 'Lost Symbol Readers Guide' which is the perfect antidote to the book itself. Read it and Weep (with laughter)
Lys- Woohoo! That is so awesome!
Jane- (((HUGS))) Here's hoping things keep on progressing for the better!
DB is from a good friend who indeed knows I read books. To her credit, she also got me a copy of The Fat Duck Cookbook (because she knows I read AND cook). Too bad I had one already (only semi present face) but that's a good quality gift and one that I can easily recycle. In fact I have already my victim in mind.
DB is far more difficult to recycle I must say, although if any fiend wants it... Drop me a line. Just because I don't like DB's books doesn't mean that nobody else is entitled to like them.
on the whole twilight thing, i guess it's no worse than reading the flowers in the attic books or danielle steele, which i did in middle school.
i never bought into the hype around dan brown, i haven't read any of his books. the subject just doesn't appeal to me.
present face has been added to giggle loop as things once in your head, you can never get out of your head.
ooh Lys congrats:)
and i has quiche cd's too:) thank you so much.
oh and i woke up at 4am:/ i am going to be wrecked today.
Present Face! We'll all be singing it comes Giftmas day! (although its power also extends to birthday and any such gift bearing episode)
I GOT INTO UNO!!!! THERE IS A CHANCE I MAY NOT DIE IN ABJECT POVERTY!!!!!!!!!!
It's hard sitting quietly at a desk, knowing you have another 45 minutes before you can get into your car and scream your lungs out!
Congratulations, Wendy!
WEhat will you be doing ther?
\o/\o/\o/\o/\o/\o/\o/\o/Calvin& Wendy\o/\o/\o/\o/\o/
What a fabulous lot of links I have open now!
Congrats to Wendy
Good morning to Sally
Good night from me
I'm going for a graduate certificate in Special Needs English Education!!!! I'm going to be a teacher and advocate for students who really need me!
(Also, see INK!!! Really!)
Yay Wendy! Yay Lys! Yay Calvin!
And thanks to DSally for the cool card. Love the holograms.
Congratulations, Wendy!
Nice to know another Fiend has watched "Ink." We need to get back to it. We had to stop because the sounds were keeping Seren up. ::sigh::
Has this been posted here before? A Night Gardener tshirt.
That is a seriously cool shirt, Chantrelle! Thanks for the link.
Hey, I remember Night Garden!
Yay for everyone who has cause to yay! Happy news all round. My happy news is that I had come nice, uniformed young men come to my house and haul away crap. Pricey but worth it. Wooo! \o/
Hope everyone's having a fine Wednesday.
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Oops, Freudian slip. I mean some nice, uniformed young men. Heh.
Morning all!
Feeling a lot better today, lots of work today but a new post tonight for you...
Thanks for the e-mails too! I love you guys!
Hey, it's you! I know you! :) Glad you're feeling better.
Yay, Lorraine has risen!! The only bad thing is that that means I'm about to go down for the count. Hopefully not bad this month since Saturday I'm making the big 80th bday dinner for father-in-law and I've got 2 days of prep and cooking to do for 19 people!
Managed to get busted by the state park ranger yesterday hunting mushrooms (illegal - $300 fine) and lied my butt off and played stupid girl who knows nothing and he let me off and even let me keep the one sad little porcini I had. That was lucky!!
I'm going to try to get in for a haircut today. And it's farmer's market day!! My favorite day of the week (well, of the weekdays)
Chantrelle the Shroom Bandit! :O
Glad you're feeling better, Ms. Fabulous!
Looking forward to your new post, even if I don't read it until tomorrow.
She has risen!
All hail Lorraine the fabulous!
belated tick
Glad to see you back, Q, and looking forward to the new post, in due course. Meanwhile, new episodes of 'Spooks' and 'True Blood' tonight. Cold & wet night outside makes curling up in front of the TV with a nice warm cat so much more appealing, don't you think?
Please excuse this blog hijack.
Yesterday a friend of my and Dan's lost her husband. He'd been dealing with cancer for years but his passing was much sooner than expected, and she needs help with final costs, unpaid leave from work, etc. Please check out the auction and buy something to help her out!
I quite simply have been overwhelmed at the thought of what she's going through - they recently had to move in with relatives because they couldn't afford to rent any longer, and she's still trying to get her US citizenship squared away. Until Monday they were expecting him to have a few months left, it ended up being days.
There's auctions here - http://community.livejournal.com/britgeek_love/ you can bid or place things up for auction.
We now return to your normal blog comments. Thank you for letting me interrupt a bit.
(((HUGS))) to all of you.
Between this year and last year's November, I had already decided that next year there will be no November (with brief exceptions for birthdays). Instead October, the best month of the year (it has Halloween), will be 61 days long. If you would like, I would be happy to make it 62.
Also, (((HUGS)))
Wow! So much good news - Robyn isn't wasting away in jail for porcini-rustling, Lys has just done 2 and 1/2 years of college in one day, and Wendy goes to UNO, our favorite card game! Calvin doing well, hurrah!
Great. Keep up the good work, Fiends. I'm languishing here with a tummy upset - not bad - just annoying. Well, not really languishing, since there's an upside: skiving off driving the offspring to confirmation class tonight. So - the tummyache is not all bad (I hate that drive!)
Had the Garden Club lunch today and did a short inspiration based on Wendy's, Marjorie's and Lorraine's Thanksgiving observations. It was well-received and I didn't get nervous or talk too quietly, so yay me! Whew. Lunch was great and my tea for two gift basket raised $30 for charity. Drove one of the retirees to and from the meeting and had fun chatting with her.
I have high hopes that I can get back to walking next week since I got a shot in my hip joint yesterday. My new goal is not to overdo it in the future so the trouble doesn't come back.
Well, that's it for now. I'm in the house now, unsupervised. Any suggestions, oh Fiendly Ones?
Oh, and I LOVE the idea of 61 days of October. We could call the second half Octoberer and have Halloween, Part Deux on the 61st.
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Ooh UK/Europe folks, The Magnetic Fields are coming your way
Fluffy, what will you do at home? I was going to suggest getting jiggy with it, but according to Urban Dictionary this can only be done on a Friday or Saturday night at a disco.
I love Octoberer! And I am all for an Octoberer the 61st Halloween Part Duex.
Fluffy: Thank you for making me famous.
And, watch Ink on Netflix!!!!!
I'm not sure if I know how to get jiggy with it, so I settled for taking a little nap, eating some chocolate and doing a quick clean-up of the kitchen to give the appearance of diligence. Now I'm sitting in the living room feeling virtuous. Heh, heh.
Ok, promised Blog is up! Not perhaps the Rock Your World Blog is generally is, ah-hem, but it is there for you.
And this weekend is gigs and Horsie, so we will get more lively here...
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