I got a new camcorder and feel like my videography skill set is starting from scratch. Today I was experimenting with different settings and figuring out how to edit and process. I made this video called "Childhood" from some of the footage.
I'm too embarrassed to make a confessions video about this, so I'm simply writing my confession.
I have drank the Twilight Kool-Aid.
Let me start from the beginning. A few months ago I rented the movie Twilight on a whim, bored and expecting to make fun of it because I am not into vampires or fantasy or anything like that. I watched the movie and....I LOVED it. LOVED it. Instantly smitten with Edward Cullen and the whole story (that is another post in itself).
I didn't think about actually reading the book, until last Friday. Suddenly I got an inkling to read Twilight and thought it would be fun, since I was sick and needed to rest. I bought it and didn't stop reading it until I passed out in exhaustion.
On Saturday I rented the dvd of Twilight and watched it - catching things in the movie that I never noticed before because I had finally read the book. And then I went out and bought books 3 and 4 of the series - Eclipse and Breaking Dawn - and started reading those - finishing on Sunday afternoon. (I didn't buy New Moon, but am planning on reading it later.)
I went online to geek out about the series and discovered the author Stephanie Meyer had an unpublished, unfinished manuscript called Midnight Sun, which was Twilight from Edward's perspective (alsdkfjasdj!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!). So I read that.
Then I watched Twilight the movie again for a third time. I had to go out for Sunday evening, but when I returned, I read Midnight Sun (again, second time).
Monday I thought about Twilight all day and then this morning, I took a sick day (because I am still sick, yes) and started re-reading Twilight for the second time.
I had to stop myself for a moment. I'm a grown woman and here I am OBSESSED about teenage vampire novels. There are other things to do in life besides immerse myself in Twilight.
But, seriously, I'm obsessed and I think I need an intervention. I guess this how all those Harry Potter fans feel when they read a book from the series, finish it and then immediately turn back to page one to read it again.
I moved here a year ago. The first six months were intense with starting a new job and dealing with sickness in my family. After Christmas things started to calm down and I began to get more involved in my church and meeting people who had friendship potential. For various reasons, there aren't many friendship connections where I work, so the only other obvious place to meet people was church.
And people there have been super nice and friendly. But, after six months of being intentional, after many lunches and conversations over coffee, I still feel like I haven't made any friends. I feel like I'm welcome in the community, but I just don't feel like people like me. And not feeling like people enjoy my presence or "get" me makes me feel like I haven't made any friends.
So, the conundrum. While I feel part of the community, I don't feel like I have friends. Does that make sense?
And what should I do about it? Wait around hoping a connection happens or go fish for friends elsewhere?
Checking it out with my team... (I shot it with my digital camera, so the sound quality isn't great.)
graffiti in camden from Jenn on Vimeo.
My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult
Really compelling story about a girl who was genetically engineered to be a donor for her sister with cancer and sues her parents for the rights to her body so she won't have to donate her kidney. The book takes several points of view (mother, father, bro, sis, lawyer). I really enjoyed it. Warning - the book is WAY BETTER than the movie. Skip the movie, for real. It doesn't do justice to the beauty of the story.
Breaking Free: Discovering the Victory of Total Surrender, Beth Moore
This is a Beth Moore classic and I wondered if it would live up to the hype and....it did! I read it during a personal retreat and while I was familiar with a lot of the content, it was really, really beneficial to refreshing me spiritually. I think it would be great to do this as a group study (and thousands of people have) and recommend it highly!
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, Tim Keller
Keller examens reasons for and against believing in God. It's kind of "heady" and wasn't a book I wanted to curl up with and read in bed....but, it is really powerful. It's a book every Christian should have in their personal library. I'm happy to see an intelligent, articulate Christian represent the faith in a respectable way.
Books read this month: 3
Books read this year: 27
