tWiLiGhT

"Isn't it supposed to be like this? The glory of first love, and all that. It's incredible, isn't it, the difference between reading about something, seeing it in the pictures, and experiencing it?"
-Edward Cullen

Twilight (directed by Catherine Hardwick) is an action-packed, love struck, passionate story that pulls you in and never fully let's you go. Based on the bestselling novel by Stephanie Meyer, Twilight involves two very different people who find themselves falling in love. Love is a very powerful thing. In Twilight it is completely different. You have Bella (Kristen Stewart), a human, and Edward (Robert Pattinson), a vampire. What's right about that? But then you keep watching, always on your toes waiting for something to happen, but nothing does. They are in love, and though Edward has to be careful not to break her, they are happy. Many elements make Twilight an amazing movie; three of those elements are the storyline, casting, and the intertwining of the book and the movie.

The storyline for the book/movie is one of the best things not only because neither would exist, but because the story relates to everyone, making Twilight just that much more perfect. So, the storyline begins with Bella Swan moving from Arizona to Forks, Oregon to stay with her chief police dad, while her mother and her new boyfriend travel around looking for new baseball gigs. It's in school when Bella finds the guy that will soon steal her heart, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). As soon as she see's Edward that first day of school, Bella falls in love. Edward Cullen on the other hand finds himself drawn to Bella in a way that he did not understand. One thing that really threw him off was the fact that he could not read her mind, something he has always been able to do with every other human. Another thing was her smell, something he described as being "a drug to me... my own personal brand of heroin." Though finding out about what Edward really is, she still stays strong, "not afraid." Soon Edward tells her that he too is in love with her and that he doesn't have the strength to stay away from her. From there, the rest is history. Edward and Bella let their relationship out in the open and ultimately put the entire Cullen clan in danger. Little do they know, Bella might be the only one in real danger. The movie goes on and the Cullen's grow close with Bella. It is at an amazing family baseball game with the Cullen's when everything is turned upside down; leading to a death chase between Bella and three outside vampires. Bella finds herself face to face with a 'hungry' vampire who more than anything wants her blood. The Cullen’s split up and Alice and Jasper (Cullen siblings/spouses) take Bella south while the others through off the tracker. What happens next changes everything. The whole storyline is full of action as well as romance. You just can't get enough of the "Belward" trilogy. But, the script isn't the only thing that makes the movie; the actors bring the story to life.

Many readers of the Twilight series have a picture already in their mind of who the characters should be so with that in mind Catherine and Stephanie set out to find the actors that would play the well known characters. They started with the main characters of Bella and Edward and surprisingly came across Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson who from the start had the perfect chemistry for the roles. With time, the rest of the characters soon fell in place. Once everything was set, Stephanie and Catherine went in and fit the new cast into the scenes making sure they all fit perfectly with the story line and the script. Stephanie was completely in aw seeing the characters all fit in exactly how she pictured them, now they had to move to the next process, bringing the book to life.

Everyone has seen the process of turning a book into a movie, and sometimes it really doesn't work. The movie ends up manipulating the book making it into something totally different. Stephanie Meyer played a huge role it what could and could not be done with the storyline and characters in her book. Hardwick agreed and the movie process began. First they had to write the script, making sure it completely resembled the book. Then they got all the characters together and slowly started piecing together the different scenes, always checking in with Stephanie for confirmation that all was precise. Once the movie was finally done it was time to see if the audience approved. Everyone has their own opinion, but seeing as it has brought in more than $418 million worldwide, what enough should tell you Twilight is the movie of the year.

As you can see, Twilight's storyline, actors, and the amazing transformation from book to movie have made Twilight all the more better. Every person that picks up the book and/or watches the movie will find themselves too, falling in love. So now I leave you with a quote about just how different the two worlds are seen to the human eye.


"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb." -Edward
"What a stupid lamb." -Bella
"What a sick, masochistic lion." -Edward

Trip of a lifetime??

What would you do if at last minute someone came to you and said you may have a chance to go on a trip of a lifetime? Scam right? Well what if there really was a chance? Would you fight for it?

Today at work I met an unbelievable women. Though she was just there to get her son a passport photo, she may change my life. She told me about how her family lives in India, here only have her son. Then she told me she was a part of a missionary and that every year she takes groups of people to India, where her and her husband own an orphanage.

I was truly amazed. Was this fate??? I have always wanted to go over seas to help out, but most of all, to take pictures. I would love to see the reactions of the children when the flash goes off. I would love to be able to comfort them, knowing that there parents were not coming home. This is a true dream.

So again, if you had a chance to go on a trip that might change your life, would you?

One Down Fall....

Everyone has one thing that has somehow changed there life. For me it was loosing my dad to suicide about 9 years ago.

At the time I really thought everything was going to fall apart. The house we had was already on its last leg not to mention bills. It was rough, I really didn't no what was going to happen. After about 2 year we decided to sell the house in Bangor, where we lived then, and moved in with a guy my mom met. Don't take this the wrong way, everyone does, but he seemed to make my mom happy.

From then on we all moved to West Salem, where I attended 5th grade and up. I met some new friends and things kind of got back to normal. But it was still there, the hurt.

In 6th grade, it kind of hit me. Depression. I remember throwing these big temper tantrums, yelling, kicking, and screaming. Looking back I really regret all the things that I did. I have no clue how I am ever going to be able to apologize to my mom for the hurt I put her through. But I got help. Since then I've been on antidepressants. Depression has been a big part of my life. I suffer from it everyday, but that's for a later blog.

Things changed, my moms boyfriend changed, breaking my moms heart yet again. I was almost happy for her. I could see she was unhappy. That's when a friend of hers and I decided to introduce her to Mike, the friends brother. Wow, it worked, she actually smiled, like the stress was lifted. Everything changed, but for how long?

My family has really been through a lot. It takes a lot of time to get over something that big. Sure we were young, but it impacted us all in different ways. I had my own ways of dealing with the loss and it affects me to this day with the depression. Family plays a big part in my life, without them here by my side, I really don't no where I would be today.


*See next blog entry for a further look

Personality

I'm a big fan of personal expression..
your body is a plane..
what you put on it makes you who you are..

I am quoting one of my friends above, it's all very true. Everyone should have the right to express themselves however they want. Some people enjoy painting there body's with tattoo's, others like piercings. For me I am into the tattoos.

I got my first tattoo when I was sixteen. My aunt and her husband traveled to Winona Minnesota, the only place that would do my tattoo so young, there we meet the artists and I explained to them what exactly I wanted. I had two designs I found of two different fairies. One of them was a Gothic styled fairy that was sitting Indian style, kind of shy looking with pink and green hair and clothing. The next one had a European/Hindu fairy with a long Hindu dress on and long black/brown hair. Both of these pictures were brilliantly colored.

Finally I decided to combine the two pictures. In this process I got to bring out my own personality. I am a quiet person that really just likes to be by my self, that is where fairy one came in. Next I looked at the features on each and decide to keep the colors from the first fairy and add the skin color of the second. So I waited, the artist all got to work to put together my fairy.

When they were finally done I was pretty satisfied. It was exactly what I wanted. Next was the hard part, where did I want to put it? I decided to put in on my right leg, on the side, right down from my knee. It was set, the traced it onto my skin getting it all perfect and then it was time to situate where I was going to sit and endure the pain of the actual tattoo.

All was set, they began to slowly outline the tattoo with black ink. I've got to say, it really didn't start out that bad, but once they got to the back part of my leg, the tender part. It was definitely a different feeling, it was pain, but a different kind of pain. When I was finally done, three hours later, I got to see the finished product. It was perfect! Exactly what I wanted.

So this was my story of a way I personalize my body. Everyone should find a way to express themselves!

Photography

"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything."
-Aaron Siskind


While in high school photography hit me out of no where. One minute I'm walking into a quiet classroom and the next I'm out taking writing stories for a newspaper. But, it wasn't until farther in the year that I really started to pick up with taking photos. It was a little awkward at first, I was kind of a shy student and the last thing I wanted to do was get up in front of a whole auditorium to take picture of whoever was that days performer. I hated the thought, every ones eyes on me in a dark room where the flash of my camera was the only light. All eyes were on me and I didn't no if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

When I first joined the high school journalism team, I really didn't no what to expect. I didn't no that in the long run it would greatly affect my life. I would soon be known as the schools photographer, taking pictures at local plays and sports games. What about after high school? How can I keep my love of photography going?

Just a few short months after graduation I decided I didn't want to work the rest of my life in a fast food restaurant. I wanted to rise up and get a job that I could call my own. So I started applying. Then I got a call. Picture ME! wanted to set up an interview with me. I got the job! I was so excited, but a part of me was terrified. Sure I have taken pictures at school, but those people I saw everyday. I really didn't no what to expect. The shyness in me began to shine.

Now that I have been working with Picture ME I am so glad that I gave it a shot. Sure I get a little nervous, with people watching your every move, relying on you to take that one picture that will be in there lives for the rest of eternity, but I can honestly say that I love my job. Seeing the smiles on parents faces as I capture their child's true beauty. Its a one in a million feeling, but its all mine!