Easing Back Into The Twilight Zone

I had one of those moments today, where I realized that what I was really missing was Twilight. So I got online to get caught up and realized that somewhere along the way since Eclipse hit theaters, I've lost months.

I had no idea Nikki Reed was in Nylon.  I think Xavier Samuel's girlfriend is kind of fugly (something with the smile?) and need to do some serious research to remember who all the members of the Denali clan are, much less who is playing them.  It's been a while since I read Breaking Dawn, and I just forget all those bit players, you know?

But I'm mad that I don't know them.  How messed up is that?  It's like a piece of me wants to drop everything and run to the nearest bookstore/library just to get the glossary section of the book to figure out who the heck Cameron is.  Somebody's human companion/mate, perhaps?

Yet I'm hesitant. I remember when I took the first plunge into the Twilight fandom. I lost weeks reading all the back posts and catching up with what had happened since the filming of the original movie.  I came in between Twilight and did the countdown to New Moon.  I was learning as I went, and I didn't know how much I didn't know.

Now I do.  I know how much I've been skipping, and I know how many posts and blogs I should be reading.  I've got the alerts in a folder that should be labeled as the "Guilt" file instead of the Twilight file, because when I look at it I feel guilty that I'm letting the fandom down.

But filming for Breaking Dawn starts soon, and I want to be back.  Let's see how long it takes me . . .

A Taylor-iffic Surprise in My Taxi Cab

I was flying today and had to make a transfer between FLL and my MIA hotel in rush hour.  Do not actually recommend this to anyone.

However, there was a little surprise tucked away for me in the seat pocket of my cab.  I almost squeed with glee when I discovered the July 2010 GQ featuring Taylor Lautner was there:

Oh, Hell Yes!

The interview was actually a very nice piece about Taylor, and I enjoyed reading about the reporter being frightened of the teenagers and crazed moms stalking Taylor Lautner everywhere he goes at award shows and public appearances.  It added a nice perspective to the whole thing, and it presented Lautner in a good light - awed and grateful for his fans, if a little overwhelmed by it all.

But you know what really got me through the traffic?  The photos!  This one was my favorite . . . quite a step up in the sexy department from the original pre-werewolf Taycub, don't you think?

The Abs . . . Sheesh!

The Book Brings Me Back To The Fold

It took a book to get me hooked on the Twilight phenomenon, and it's taken a book to get me back with the program.

It wasn't like I was consciously avoiding the Twi-dom. I've still been working on Distilling Down, my fan fic, and loosely keeping up with the Twilight related news. Being in Ecuador made it harder, and real life has kind of intruded as well. Since I think you should Twi-hard or go home, I opted to go home for a while.

And then I saw this.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner. I want.

And now I can't quite stay away. I am actually pretty damn excited for this thing to come out in June. I've been struggling to get excited for the Eclipse trailer, in part because every time I see Bryce Dallas Howard's face my whole being rises up and screams THAT IS NOT RIGHT but this Bree Tanner thing? This I can be excited about.

Part of the money from the book sales will go to charity. This justifies everything.

MWAH-HAHAHA. . . and I'm totally sucked back in. I have some mega reading todo, having taken an effective leave of absence from my blog rolls since February, but from Taylor Lautner's birthday to those hot billboards of Kellan Lutz in his underwear, I am looking forward to catching up.

Funny Reaction To Breaking Dawn

Couldn't resist sharing when I saw this!

Taylor Lautner Now Worth $7.5 Million

Apparently Taylor Lautner is more than willing to trade on his Twilight Saga fame. The kid (or probably his super dad) have just finished negotiations that official make Taylor Lautner the highest paid teenage actor in Hollywood.

$7.5 Million? I'm worth it!

According to Deadline Hollywood, the big payday is for a new film called Northern Lights. Tom Cruise is involved with the film, which is about fighter pilots. (Tom Cruise and fighter pilots. Right, who knew?). According to Nikki Finke over at Deadline, neither Zack Efron or Miley Cyrus make as much as Lautner, even though they have more acting experience. To which one can only say, experience, schmexperience. Who's got the hot abs here?

New Year, New Plans, New Fics

Welcome to 2010!

I know that lots of people have been doing reflections back on the decade that just passed, but I'm still home with the parents for the holidays (leaving for Ecuador the 13th, make it please come sooner!) and so I don't want to look back on the decade because I'm feeling enough time warp as it is just sleeping in my old room.

Thus, let's forget the past and focus on the future. Now, I'm not going to be one of those yahoos jumping up and down screaming about how 2010 is gonna be great. It's not gonna be that great, y'all. Calm the eff down. Loud noises in early January are bad, okay?

However, 2010 should be reasonably decent, and I'm looking forward to the year ahead. Lots of good things are going to happen, like me spending the rest of the winter somewhere warm and Eclipse coming out.

I also want to get back to posting every day, even though I know it likely won't happen until after I am out of the parents house. The Twilight withdrawal has diminished to a dull, yet constant ache somewhere in the back of my brain. I can't explain to Mom & Dad why changing the channel away when Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift broke up was a party foul. I just have to endure.

My endurance has been tempered by some sneaky fan fiction reading. Thought I'd share a few of my new favorites here, in case you are looking for a way to pass the time!

1. Irritable Grizzly Adams: Ignore that the title doesn't scream Twilight Fan Fiction. This story is a good alternative universe creation based on a unique take on the break up scene and the Edward-never-comes-back theme. I was hooked from the first chapter. I wasn't alone in falling hard for the story, as The Lazy, Yet Discerning Ficster also recommended it way back in the day. It even has a thread on Twilighted for the dedicated!

2. Geek Love: In addition to being an absolutely awesome story, I'm so thrilled that the author of Geek Love, SassenachWench, replied to pretty much every review I left. She seems like a funny, cool, and well-adjusted type--and yes, I am fan crushing on her hard-core at the moment. The story is Bella and Edward as computer geek types, complete with Nerf battles and binary code references. Updates regularly with lovely subtle humor and some gut busting scenes, too. Chapter 22 should be out soon!

Also, while I'm at it: You need to check out Elemental for a cool twist on the Forks families, The Naked Guy Upstairs for light laughs and love, and Art After 5 for some really well done angst (I've loved on this one before, but now it's complete!).

PS: My photo comparing Kellan Lutz to Marky Mark for the Calvin Klein campaign got pulled since Mr. Wanberg was in his underwear. I think this is a bad sign for my plan for billboard scans of the Kellan campaign, don't you?

Catherine Hardwicke Needs To STFU

In her most recent interview about Twilight, Catherine Hardwicke basically implies that Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart wanted to bang from day one, and would have done it the first day they met if she hadn't stopped them.

She said WHAT about us?! That hag!

Have I mentioned before that I think she's a crazed hag? Or that she annoys the snot out of me? Or that her movie making skills are atrocious, as witnessed by the fact that we all love the Twilight movie DESPITE its flaws (and Lord, the things we have to overlook . . sloppy, sloppy!). Seriously, someone needs to tell her to put a sock in it. Or someone could just put a sock in it. That works for me too.

Getting More Montepulciano In My Life

How excited am I for the week ahead? My legitimate work includes a Twilight connection.

One of the things I do is write hotel descriptions. My contract agency has been on an Italy kick for a while (google Amalfi and just dream, peeps) and this week my list includes the one and only Montepulciano, setting for Volterra for the Twilight Saga.

It's gonna be a good week over here. Feeling it in my bones . . . .