pensive

comments on the "New Moon" movie

I saw New Moon tonight. My friend and I arrived at the theater an hour and a half early with advance tickets, expecting the show to be sold out (it wasn't). Because we'd waited a day, the fangirl insanity wasn't nearly as bad as when we went to see Twilight last year. My friend absolutely loved every second of the movie, but I left the theater with mixed feelings. I thought that the werewolf parts were very well done, and I enjoyed them. The vampire parts were mostly just cheesy. Overall, I wasn't sure what the point of the movie was supposed to have been, but it seemed mostly an excuse to showcase the non-explicit "porn for girls" of extremely good looking, muscular, shirtless young men. Easy on the eyes, to be sure... but I'm not sure I like the idea of seeing guys that way. I am a Christian and I'm not afraid to say so, and I couldn't help wondering how my future husband (should I get one) would feel. I'd rather save myself in all ways for my wedding night, and to me, that includes not feasting my eyes on the perfect-looking men that Hollywood favors. I rather think that by doing so, a wife could possibly negate part of the love that should rightfully belong to her husband. (Why would I want to wastefully lust after the guys on the silver screen-- when I could reserve my eyes until I'm married to someone I truly love, and have those feelings be a new experience to me then?) Just as pornography will destroy the love a husband has for his wife, I think that this also can be destructive to a relationship. (And what of the young stars who are being made into sex objects-- what kind of horrible lifestyle is that? Oh, don't believe me? Just how many relationships and lives in Hollywood have made it through the fame? Almost none!) Get more at http://www.pluggedin.com/.

Book Review: The Fair Folk

This elven-themed anthology contains six stories specifically written for this collection. Each one of them were thought-provoking in different and unique ways, and that's what I really loved about this book. Some stories were funny, some serious, but all were themed around faerie folk. (Not the Santa Claus kind. Think Lord of the Rings.) Edited by Marvin Kaye and published in 2007, this book is already out of print, and I can't understand why. (It's so good!) In some stories, the book does contain a few flaws (the f-word is overused by some authors). It contains stories by Jane Yolen, Kim Newman, Tanith Lee, Craig Shaw Gardner, Midori Snyder, and Patricia A. McKillip. The best place to find it will probably be at your local library or a good used-bookstore. If you're able to find it, I highly recommend this book.

Book Review: Dr. Pompo's Nose

As Dr. Pompo goes about his morning rounds, he finds a mysterious object. What could it be? A garden tool? A horn? A fossil? Or perhaps... someone's nose? These clever photographs will appeal to young children, and the easy reading level helps young readers who are learning to rhyme. Kids will love the pumpkin faces inspired by the natural shape of the vegetables. Other books by these authors include How Are You Peeling? and Dog Food.

I threw a Halloween party last weekend, and these are the pumpkin pies I made. Topped with real whipped cream, they were delicious!

the buck stops here...

On Monday night as I was driving home from work, I saw a big white blur leaping at me on the driver's side, and all I could think was, "DEER!" My mind was filled with blind panic, and I didn't know what to do. But while I was busy being unable to think, an angel was driving for me, because somehow I managed to brake, swerve, AND not end up in the ditch. The deer-- a huge white buck-- impacted heavily with a CRUNCH of glass and metal on the front left-hand corner of my truck, tearing out the headlight and putting a huge dent in the hood. (All I was actually aware of at the time was the crunching sound and the screeching of my tires across the rain-slicked pavement.) After I came to a complete stop on the side of the road and stopped hyperventilating enough to realize I needed to turn on my emergency lights and find my cell phone, I saw that the buck was lying on the opposite shoulder of the road-- definitely dead. I started tearing up a bit, not for the buck but from the aftershock, and proceeded to call my dad and the police department (in that order.)

God was definitely watching over me that night. If anything about the crash scenario had been even the slightest bit different, the buck would have hit on the driver's side door, and I would have had a faceful of shattered glass and a trip to the emergency room at the very least. Thankfully, I came out of it unscathed (if a bit shaken), my truck is still driveable (though in need of a new headlight), and God is good!

I had my dad come pick me up, as there was no WAY I thought I could drive after that. While I was waiting for him to arrive and the police officer was finishing up, the officer came and asked me, "Do you want the deer?" I wasn't expecting the question, and I laughed a little and said, "Um, NO."

After Dad came to drive me home, I thanked God for keeping me safe and thanked Him for my life. After I got home, I realized that there were two more things that God had done to keep me safe: 1) None of my friends were avaliable, so I hadn't been on my cell phone, and 2) My umbrella, which is one of the long lance-like ones from Barnes and Noble (not the little fold-up jobs), usually sits quietly on the passenger seat next to me so that I won't forget to use it. Normally it behaves itself and stays wherever I put it, but that night it was flopping all over the place and getting in my way before I'd even left the parking lot at work. Exasperated, I'd thought, "That's weird," and thrown it behind the seat to keep it out of the way. I'm blown away by the fact that God made my umbrella uncharacteristically annoying so that I wouldn't be impaled by it when I hit the deer!

God is AWESOME.

Book Review: Prom Nights from Hell

Prom Nights from Hell features five mediocre stories about proms gone paranormally wrong. A couple of the stories were entertaining, but most fell extremely short of the mark. This book might be okay if you're looking for something light (read: vapid) to read around Halloween, but it's hardly even worth the time. Overall, the stories weren't particularly well-crafted or even interesting.