SchlegelRock

This is the second half of the New Moon quiz we got in Forks. Answers in the comments. Let me know if any of them stumped you.

18. Who was Bella surprised to see in the meadow?

19. What color eyes do “good” vampires have?

20. Who chased Laurent out of the meadow?

21. What does legend say that the Quileutes tied to the tops of the tallest trees in the mountains?

22. Who are the enemies of vampires?

23. What do the werewolves refer to themselves as?

24. Why did Jacob worry about being too mad?

25. What is the name of Sam’s girlfriend (fiancee)?

26. What were the names of Jacob’s werewolf brothers?

27. What Shakespearean figure did Bella dream about after surviving her cliff dive?

28. Which friend of Charlie & Billy’s had a heart attack?

29. What reason did Bella tell Alice for why she jumped off the cliff?

30. What was the name of the family in Italy that the Cullen’s were afraid of?

31. What was the name of the leader in the underground in Volturi City?

32. Where did Edward hide Bella’s CD, pictures and tickets?

33. Who agreed to make Bella a vampire?

34. What did Jacob put in the driveway to get Bella in more trouble with Charlie?

Here’s the New Moon portion of the quiz I got from the nice Forks Chamber of Commerce lady. As usual the answers will be in the comments.

1. What is the date of Bella’s birthday?

2. What kind of vehicle does Bella drive?

3. Who was one of Bella’s favorite fictional characters?

4. What did Carlisle remove from Bella’s arm at the Cullen’s on her birthday?

5. What was Edward’s mother’s name?

6. What is the name of the place where Bella worked?

7. Who found Bella lost in the forest?

8. What kind of math did Bella take in her final semester?

9. What kind of movie did Bella & Jessica go to see in Port Angeles?

10. What kind of car and year was Jacob working on?

11. What were Jacob’s friends’ names?

12. What town did Jacob & Bella go to for motorcycle parts?

13. What kind of spaghetti sauce did Billy use?

14. What was the name of the movie that Bella, Jacob & MIke went to see?

15. What did Bella wish that Jacob was to her?

16. What color is Billy & Jacobs house?

17. What disease did Billy think Jacob had? (I don’t like the way this one is worded because Billy knew exactly what was going on with Jacob. Maybe a better way to ask would be: What disease did Billy say Jacob had?)

So you all know that I love the Twilight series and I’ve been blogging more about it to tell you why. Well we’ve hit the jackpot. New Moon means more to me than either of the other two books and it’s because of the journey that Bella takes. Let me get a little personal to explain why.

Most of you know that I’m bipolar and about two years ago I was hospitalized because of it. That was the darkest point of my life. I had a week leading up to my breakdown where I kept feeling like I was losing control of myself. I would find myself crunched in a ball on the ground trying to hold myself together. Then the breakdown actually came and I vividly remember lying in the ER at El Camino Hospital shaking from head to toe thinking I was either going to die or go insane. I remember when they took me to the psych ward and asked Scott to leave. That’s the last thing I remember for about 3 days. One day I woke up and fell into the routine of the hospital (group therapy, art therapy, meals, etc.). Then I got released into the outpatient program which is where the hell really began. I literally could not handle being out of my bed huddled under the covers. Any stimulation whatsoever would send me cringing back into my shell. I couldn’t take care of my kids. I woke up in the morning and went to the hospital and then came home and went to my room. Oh my gosh, just remembering it is awful, but I promise there’s a happy ending. Time went on and I eventually started going to church and interacting with people again but I was totally dead inside. I was so scared of losing control of myself again that I refused to let myself feel anything. No love, no happiness, no tenderness, nothing.

A little more time passed and I finally was able to reach out to Scott and my kids again. I can’t even explain how scary or painful that was. Another thing that happened that may seem strange is that I lost the ability to breathe normally. I couldn’t take in a deep breath for fear of opening up the gaping hole in my soul. It felt like a black hole had taken over my chest and threatened to suck me in if I wasn’t vigilant at guarding myself. So every step I took closer to Scott and the kids, was a step closer to that hole. It was like recovering from a horrific car accident and having to do extensive physical therapy. It was really hard and it hurt like hell but with their help I did it. I finally brought them back in.

That’s where I was when I found Twilight. Well on the road to recovery, but still a long journey ahead of me. So I get to New Moon and Stephenie paints this beautifully, horrible picture of Bella suffering and the hole in her torso that rips and pulses at the edges. I love that when Edward leaves all we get is October, November, December, January. That’s exactly what I felt like. The time passed but it didn’t mean anything. Then when she goes to the zombie movie with Jessica and realizes she’s the zombie I realized that I was the zombie too. Totally dead to the world. Going through the motions with no real feeling. Then everything changes that night. She’s not totally dead anymore. Some of her defenses come down and she can’t bring them back and it’s scary as hell to feel so vulnerable.

Then the best thing happens. She makes the decision to be reckless. The healing begins. Every day she feels more vulnerable but she’s loving it. That’s what New Moon did for me. It touched me so deep down inside where nothing else touched me. It brought me to life. That’s why I’m so obsessed with these books. They literally changed my life. A teen vampire book changed my life. It woke me up and made me realize that I needed to put forth more effort if I wanted to live a healthy life again. As Bella started smiling without effort and laughing without realizing it so did I. I relished in her recovery, I drank it in and let it fill me up.

So when I say I love Bella it really means I love that Stephenie so descriptively wrote about a pain so awful it tears your soul into tiny pieces that takes years to put back together. Well I guess for Bella it only took Edwards return, but in real life it takes a long time to recover from that kind of hurt.

I know you’ve all probably felt that way. I know I’m not the only person on the Earth that has experienced this. I just happened to find Bella and really felt like she was a “kindred spirit”. Her pain was felt so similarly to mine that I couldn’t help loving her. So if I run around on Twilight related trips wearing “I am Switzerland” t-shirts it’s not only because I’m crazy, which I am, but also because I’m reveling in my recovery.

I guess I should mention that I’m doing great. Not 100% yet but I have every hope that I will be. Every day that passes brings me closer to myself. In fact, I would say I’m a much better person now than I was before the episode. Much stronger. I’m totally trying new things that I never would have dreamed of before. I appreciate my family and friends more. I appreciate God more. Life is good.

Sorry for the long post, I just really wanted you to understand how deeply I love these books. I can honestly say that these books have been a blessing in my life. Corny, I know.

Thank goodness these fabulous teasers keep coming out. It’s totally preparing me for the movie and how different it is going to be. I need preparing too because the books are so real to me.  They already play like a movie in my head. It looks like so much fun though.

I totally forgot about the dream Bella has at the beginning of New Moon where she thinks she’s her grandmother and Edward is still 17. If I was Bella that dream would terrify me too. To think that soon your life would be over and the love of your life would be separated from you forever would just be gut wrenching. Then later Edward admits that he would end his life when hers ended but I’m sorry, is that supposed to make me feel better? What a crazy little predicament they’ve gotten themselves into.

Some of my favorite stuff is when Bella is talking to Carlisle after the birthday party incident. I like this bit of the conversation the most:

“You try very hard to make up for something that was never your fault…What I mean is, it’s not like you asked for this. Your didn’t choose this kind of life, and yet you have to work so hard to be good.”

“I don’t know that I’m making up for anything,” he disagreed lightly. “Like everything in life, I just had to decide what to do with what I was given.”

Amen to that. If that’s not true I don’t know what is. On a side note, I don’t think Bella is ready to be a vampire at this point. I think she’s only thinking about getting older than Edward. She’s not thinking about the hard work and the sacrifice that the change would entail.

It’s because of Carlisle and his example that I’m totally OK with this family of vampires. Bella says, “I couldn’t imagine ayone, deity included, who wouldn’t be impressed by Carlisle.” I would have to agree. Who wouldn’t look at what he’s done with his life and cut him some major slack for being turned unwillingly into a vampire. Don’t worry, I know vampires are fictional, but can’t you see a correlation into real life? There are great people out there in every walk of life.

Anyway, I’m enjoying the ride so far. The hard parts are coming so I’ve got to bask in the sunshine for now.

This is the final installment of the Twilight Quiz soon to be followed by the New Moon Quiz. Just a reminder that I got this quiz from the lady at the Forks Chamber of Commerce.

21. What ornament hung in an upper hallway in the Cullen’s home?

22. What age is Carlisle?

23. What river could Edward see from is bedroom window?

24. What animal does Edward run like?

25. What kind of ball did the Cullen’s use playing baseball?

26. What were the names of the three visiting vampires at the baseball game?

27. How fast did Edward drive the jeep when fleeing from the other vampires after the baseball game?

28. What’s the name of the street in Scottsdale, AZ where the ballet studio is located?

29. What did Edward taste when sucking the venom from Bella’s hand?

30. What part did Jacob need for his car?

31. What kind of trees did Bella & Edward sit under at Forks High School during the prom?

32. What did Bella want to happen at Twilight and why?

Here’s the second installment of the Twilight Quiz.  Some of these are no brainers.  I almost didn’t write them but you need some easy ones too I guess.  Answers in the comments.

11.  What are the names of Edwards’ adoptive brothers and sisters?

12.  What are the names of Edwards’ adoptive mother and father?

13.  What are the color of Alice’s eyes?

14.  What did Edward rip from the trunk of a spruce tree?

15.  Where and what year was Edward born?

16.  What was Edward dying of?

17.  ____________is one of the most sunless places in the world where vampires can go outside in the daylight?

18.  How old is the Cullen’s house?

19.  What kind of car does Edward drive?

20.  What job does Edward’s father do?

btw The picture is of “Bella’s house.”

I just finished Twilight and have to say that I love it as much now as I did the first time.  Totally feeling Bella’s desire to become a vampire and be with Edward.  Not personally Scott, I just mean I get it.  He asks her if she’s so ready to become a monster but like Bella I don’t feel that he is one.  I’m not stupid, I know he’s a vampire but look what he chooses to do with his life.  He’s more than a vampire and that’s what is so appealing about him.

I still love/hate James and his sneaky plan to get Bella to ballet studio.  I totally would have fallen for it too.  The story of her falling through a window is a little far fetched to me, but if you buy into the whole Bella not being able to walk straight thing I guess it makes sense.

I know Twilight was originally a stand alone book so it makes me smile that Stephenie left it in such a suggestive way.  Did he bite her?  Did he just give her another kiss?  That ending would have killed me had the next book not been out when I read it.  I guess that’s what prompted New Moon; all of the fans writing in asking what really happened

All in all, a great book.  I would totally read it a sixth time.  Heck, I still read Harry Potter over and over again and I like these books better so why not?  On to New Moon…

So when we went to Forks the lady at the Chamber of Commerce gave us a quiz for Twilight and New Moon. As I read through the book again I answered the questions for the quiz and it was so much fun. So I thought I would print the quiz in installments here and put the answers in the comments so you can take it too. I’ll have to find an Eclipse one on the web somewhere but don’t you worry, I will find one. Here goes.

1. When Bella took a walk in the forest what did she see covering the trees?

2. What is the driveway of Charlie’s house made of?

3. What description did Bella give of Port Angeles when helping her friends pick dresses?

4. What is the name of the Port Angeles restaurant that Edward and Bella went to?

5. What dish did Bella order at the Port Angeles restaurant?

6. How long did it take for Edward to drive from Port Angeles to Forks?

7. What kind of car was Edward’s sister Rosalie’s red convertible?

8. What is the name of the classical musical piece and composer that Bella & Edward listened to while driving?

9. What was Bella’s favorite gemstone?

10. What is the safest time of day for vampires

Alice: “I’ll play you for it.  Rock, paper, scissors.”

Edward: “Why don’t you just tell me who wins.”

Alice: “I do.  Excellent.”

Have you guys been on Stephenie’s site?  She’s posting a quote a day from Breaking Dawn!  I thought there was no way I could get more excited about this book coming out and then this happened.  The first quote which I’ll put here only because I’m posting about it brings happiness to my whole being.  I just love that Edward and Alice are being so playful with each other.  I guess you have to trust Alice pretty thoroughly to believe the outcome of the game.  I love that she seems to be surprised by the outcome too.  What did I do before these books?  I’m seriously wondering how I used all this mental energy before I became obsessed.  Who cares, right?

So I know that you know that I love the Twilight series. And most of you know that I love Bella. She is so much like the seventeen year old me it’s ridiculous. With some exceptions of course. For instance I was boy CRAZY at the time. And dancing was my life. I’m just reading the part where the dance is tomorrow and she’s running around telling everyone that Edward canceled on her and she’s staying home alone to do laundry and study for trig. That’s going a little overboard for me. I mean she hardly even knows the guy, he’s a freaking vampire and she totally covers all tracks that would lead to discovering what happened to her should things go wrong. She’s a bit too trusting and I have a little more value in my life than she does. I’m not saying I wouldn’t have gone with him, I totally would have been there, I’m just saying I would stick to the story that he was driving me to Seattle. That may seem like a minor difference but there you go. I don’t always agree with Bella or the things she does. Shocking. I know.

And why does she have to fall down all the time. I get the contrast between her and sturdy perfect Edward and there’s also the contrast of what she is now to if she becomes a vampire but does she have to fall down so much. I remember this not being as much of a factor in the next two books which makes me happy. No more PE class I think.

I just wanted to mention really quick that I’ve finally come to grips with the whole sparkling thing. At first it was just too weird to me to picture big burly Emmett sparkling, but I took a deep breath and accepted it. I actually like the idea now which is saying a lot. Who says vampires have to burst into flame in the sun anyway? Not Stephenie, oh no, she puts diamonds in their skin.

Now today I just got to my favorite quote from all three books. It’s when Bella asks Edward why he doesn’t attack humans and he says,

“…just because we’ve been …dealt a certain hand…it doesn’t mean that we can’t choose to rise above–to conquer the boundaries of destiny that none of us wanted. To try to retain whatever essential humanity we can.”

I just love that about life. No matter what we’re born into we can rise above it and even make a difference in the world. This is what makes these books so special to me. Sure I love the romance and the action but this is what keeps me reading it over and over.

Breaking Dawn, the fourth and last book, comes out in August so I’m reading the Twilight Series again. I wasn’t sure if I was going to do it since I’ve read them four times already but lets be real, I’m obsessed with these books, of course I’m going to read them again. What was I thinking? So I just started and I thought I’d take an idea from the Twilight Guy and kind of journal my reading. Now I’m not going to write down every thought I have about every page of the book; I just thought it would be fun to write down the little things that I love or that pop out at me along the way. Just glimpses into why I love the books.

For instance, at the beginning of Twilight, Stephenie’s describing how green Forks is and she describes it as an “alien planet,” which just tickled me since she ended up writing The Host. I have no idea if there is a connection or not, but like I said, I found it amusing.

I also get it when Bella says, “Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing the same things through my eyes that the rest of the world was seeing through theirs.” I can totally relate to that. Who can’t. I mean how many conversations do you get into that you feel like you get the other persons point of view but they just can’t seem to grasp yours. Maybe it’s just me but I think this has got to be a common thing. I know that Scott has my back but who knows who will disagree with me next on parenting styles or gospel principles or politics or books or anything and not be able to accept what I’m saying as even a different opinion. It’s like my the words aren’t even coming out of my mouth or their ears are shut off or something.

Now onto Bella’s aversion to blood. She can obviously handle animal blood if she prepared steak for Charlie without any incident or notice of it. She has a major aversion though to human blood. She says she can smell it even. This makes me think that when/if she changes into a vampire she will not have as much of a struggle with abstaining from humans. What do you think?

MTV released a scene from the movie.  I can’t believe this is actually happening.  How exciting!! I tried to post the video here but it was a broken link so you just get a link to the MTV site. Link here.

Yes, that’s me. A Twilight tool. I was on my way to Borders on Saturday and I was going to grab the book and read the first chapter of Breaking Dawn and then just leave it behind. On my way over Scott called and said, “Why don’t you just get the book.” Can you hear the love and the disdain in his voice (love winning out I believe)? Needless to say, he made my day and I officially bought into the marketing scheme. I skipped into Borders and bought my copy of the Eclipse Special Edition. It’s everything I hoped for and more and I’m dying to talk about it so if you’ve read it give me a call. I’m also willing to loan my copy out as long as you promise to read only the preface and first chapter. I’d love to get this to as many people as possible so if you’re looking to read Eclipse again you can have my other copy to read. Those are my rules. Please borrow my copy I want everyone to be as excited as I am. You can even bring your kids to my house and I’ll watch them while you read then we can talk about immediately!!

For a teaser you can go to my last post but I wanted to add my own teaser. They have a big spread with the cover of Breaking Dawn on it and it says this:

“Don’t be afraid, ” I murmured. “We belong together.”

I was abruptly overwhelmed by the truth of my own works. This moment was so perfect, so right, there was no way to doubt it. His arms wrapped around me, holding me against him….It felt like every nerve ending in my body was a live wire.

“Forever,” he agreed

Delicious. The preface is good too. It really is a lot of fun ladies. Borrow my book.

The first couple of paragraphs of Breaking Dawn were released on EW.com today. To get the entire first chapter and the cover art you have to check out the Eclipse Special Edition tomorrow (Saturday). I am sorry to say that I don’t think I’ll be able to make it to the bookstore tomorrow to check it out. A shame, I know. Believe me, I’ll do everything within my power to make it to Borders to read it. This little taste definitely whet my appetite. I’m hooked already! It was really fun to picture the scene playing out in my head in the real Forks. The gas station at the end of the main road. The shops lining the street. I still think about the boysenberry cobbler. (Totally off topic, I know, but yum.) I can’t wait until August 2nd.