In the course of my research and conversations with Twilight fans and critics, I arrived at the conclusion that a 2-part guide is not enough. Because of the importance of this particular topic- Most controversial Twilight-related Issues - I have decided to separately launch an article dealing exclusively with the topic. So here it goes! [ Part 1 of the Guide is here ]

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The Battle of the Sexes: Why the majority of male moviegoers (including movie bloggers and writers) hate Twilight and why the majority of women (including young girls, teens, working moms and stay-at-home moms included) simply love it.

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Did you ever bother looking into the Star Wars craze? How about Star Trek and the multitude of Trekkies? If your answer to both questions are in the negative, you're either a female, a male who prefers art house movies & foreign films, a gay or just simply too young (or busy) to care. While we are not assuming both movies lack die-hard female fans, it has been proven time and again that the majority of its fans and leading figures are men. [See Note 1] This actually brings me to the heart of the matter…

Male-Dominated Fandom: Star Wars and the Star Trek Saga have become larger-than-life "movements", with fans devoting time, energy, money and skills to help promote what goes beyond the movies - treating them as something close to tradition. One emphatic example is the 501st Legion, an international fan-based org “dedicated to the construction and wearing off screen-accurate replicas of Imperial Stormtrooper armor, Imperial officer uniforms, and other villains and nefarious characters from the Star Wars universe.” A counter-movement but actually a sister group of the 501st is the Rebel Legion, another worldwide fan-created organization dedicated to the creation and wearing of screen-accurate replicas of Star Wars fans in Rebel Alliance costume.

Not to be outdone, Star Trek boasts of the Starfleet Command, an international Star Trek fan association that claims a world-wide membership dedicated to the Star Trek television and movie series. There is of course, TrekNation, a reference and community website for the long-running Star Trek franchise.

While both fandoms are established rivals, such rivalry can only be regarded as a plus-factor in further propagating both movements. Through the years, media critics and analysts have compared and contrasted the two works in particular because of their great impact and many similarities.

Says a Star Trek fan:

Whatever it was for me or others, Star Trek fandom has certainly grown beyond anything anyone could have ever imagined. Yes there are shows with intense fan interest, conventions, and other aspects of Star Trek fandom, but nothing to rival the sheer volume, creativity, or passion Star Trek fans seem to exhibit. In my mind, Star Trek really launched fan interest in general - would there have been any sort of TV series fan clubs if the Star Trek clubs hadn’t led the way? Would media science fiction conventions have grown to the level they are now without the influence of Star Trek?

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Get the Picture: I don’t think it’s hard to imagine why both fandoms are dominated by men. Just think about what the movies are about- set outside the Earth - in outer space. For Star Wars, it’s the ultimate fight between good and evil, of going against a malevolent Empire. But ultimately, it’s also about family and the hard decisions people have to make in order to survive. For Star Trek, it’s the ultimate adventure for mankind, of discovering new worlds and living in harmony with beings from other planets.

Not too much drama or romance for that matter, but of course, Hans Solo and Princess Leia would have something to say about that.

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Twilight arrives on the scene: And suddenly out of thin air, comes Twilight - a book that you could hardly put down. What makes it so unique? Well, it offers a lot to readers- romance, thrills and frights, familial relationships and rivalries, ‘teen angst’, adventure, you name it.

If you've only read it once, then you're in the minority (a very small one at that), because most Twilight readers would proudly tell you, reading it five times or more seem to be the norm. With more than a hundred fansites competing for every fan's attention, Twilight is becoming to be quite a phenomenon. Is it because of this popularity and "fanatic appeal" that men hate it?

Is The Twilight Saga women’s answer to Star Wars and Star Trek? Some would be shocked to hear of such a comparison. Some would even feel insulted, while others might grudgingly acknowledge the possibility.

While the Twilight fandom is only at its infant stage, certain factors already exist that somehow provide a glimpse into its future:

I. Internal Factors (The book and/or the movie):

1. Identifying with the Characters: One important factor that prolongs the life of a fandom is identification with the characters. If Trekkies are proud of their Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, and the Rebel Legions boast of Hans Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker, then Twilight also has its share of memorable characters- Bella and Edward, Carlisle and Esme, Alice and Jasper. Not to mention the Shape-shifters, including Jacob;

2. Continuum, i.e. a series of books make up the Saga;

3. Alternate Universe: Vivid and remarkable alternate universe that is not hard to imagine or conceptualize, paving the way for fans to expand on the books-its characters, stories and plots;

4. Universality: The fandom should be made up of both male and female fans, with a diverse age range and other social factors.

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II. External Factors (Outside the book and/or the movie):

1. Leadership: Both the Star Wars and Star Trek fan movement owe much of its success to its leaders. The Twilight fandom would also need leaders that can unite the fans;

2. Author support: Stephenie Meyer’s support is vital if the fandom will last;

3. Fandom Characteristics, including level of fan interest and enthusiasm: There are fans who like to ride the waves and there are fans that are pro-active;

4. Competition: Rivalries between fandoms are more beneficial than detrimental to the life of a fandom;

5. Proliferation of Fan sites: Active, even overwhelming presence of fansites can alter the fan base;

6. Popularity of fan fiction: When fans are writers, gifted with vivid imagination, then it helps promote the books and/or movies and further expand its fandom’s reach.

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[Note 1] Several prominent women were heavily involved in the Star Trek fandom, among them: Jeanne Haueisen, Helen Young and Shirley Maiewski (famously known as Grandma Trek). They were club chairmen of Star Trek Welcommittee, a national organization set up to help new Star Trek fans network, find local clubs, answer questions about the show and act as a clearinghouse for information regarding Star Trek fanzines. There is also Jacqueline Lichtenberg, an American science fiction author and a Star Trek fan and has been actively involved in the Trekkie fan movement.

There is of course the Star Wars Chicks. Says the publishers:

Star Wars Chicks was created in response to the argument that “Star Wars is for boys!” In 1999, two female Star Wars fans, Jedi Girl of Boston and Miss Jedi of Kansas, decided to prove to the internet that Star Wars was not just for boys. This website is a forum for the female Star Wars fan, run by female Star Wars fans. We are proud to be a chick, and we love Star Wars!

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To finish issue #1, let me just mention some of the articles written across the net about Twilight- there are a lot, but I must say, with regards to male movie bloggers, reviewers and critics, there are two kinds- the hateful diatribe of the uninformed and the objective but critical skeptics.

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Separating the Men from the Boys: How male bloggers reacted to Twilight: A sampling of the ‘good’ and the ‘ugly’.

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From Ain’t it Cool: (I can’t help it, so I’ll react: This is probably the most objective and intelligent article written about Twilight by a guy. Not only is AIC cutting edge, it’s also phenomenal, so no wonder what they have to say really makes a lot of sense)

Now I know what you think, you think that I'm defending TWILIGHT because of YOKO (the author’s wife), but frankly... she really has nothing to do with it. In fact, right now she's watching our Blu-Ray of Poltergeist and thinks I'm working on the DVD column.

No, I'm writing about this because I find it fascinating how threatening a segment of Male fan culture gets over something that they simply assign the term, "gay" or "tween".

Let's see if I can explain why this is so good for all of us.

Think of TWILIGHT as a "Gateway Geek Experience" for an audience that was previously, not necessarily devout geeks.

I witnessed this at a FANGORIA CONVENTION earlier this year with the series SUPERNATURAL - I've seen it before with BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, FIREFLY, BEAUTY & THE BEAST, THE BIONIC WOMAN, WONDER WOMAN, LORD OF THE RINGS and many more.

All of these phenoms led women to de-flower a geek. TWILIGHT will lead young ladies and their MILFS and Older Sisters not only to TWILIGHT, NEW MOON, ECLIPSE and the odd BREAKING DAWN... but perhaps to LOST BOYS, EVIL DEAD 2, DEAD ALIVE and on and on and on.

Fandom needs franchises and phenomenons like TWILIGHT; it brings people to the wider world of fandom. It leads them into FAN ORIENTATED STORES like Comic Shops, it takes them to the Action Figure aisles, into the video stores and... Maybe, just maybe, to you.

THEN THERE'S THIS...

TWILIGHT might be a whole helluvalot of fun. I trust Catherine Hardwicke, her first film THIRTEEN was an incredibly honest and vital work of cinema - and having a director that comes at film from a real and emotional honesty. Yes, this is less HORROR and more FANTASY ROMANCE, but show a girl that loves TWILIGHT, HELLBOY - and you might suddenly have a connection.

Acting like a jealous prick, just because of the "pretty boy" nature of it. Well, hope that keeps you warm at night.

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Support tMF by clicking these ads! Article continues below...

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From Chud.com (Insecurity, as they say, is manifested in many ways. And just as there are many ways to kill a cat, one can simply strangle it. I think Rob’s face and the author’s photo is enough of an issue.)

A Nice Hard Slap - Fuck This Face.

It's painfully easy to rip on Twilight, not only because there is no way it can possibly be good. Not only because vampires are absolute horseshit 88% of the time. Not only because nearly everything that isn't my dick embraced by recently pubed girls tends to be horrible. Not only because Peter Facinelli features prominently. Even the considerable presence of Catherine Hardwicke behind the lens does nothing to negate the utter shitballness of another unnecessary vampire story featuring young people looking all drab and dreamy.

The real reason to hate Twilight sight unseen is simple. This face: (photo of Robert Pattinson, shown)

I'm sure 22 year-old actor Robert Pattinson's not a bad person in real life, but that doesn't keep me from wanting him to experience grievous trauma simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and looking like he does in this completely overused photograph. I think his look succinctly sums up why I hate vampires 88% of the time ALL OF THE TIME.

Is it the over styled hair? That's part of it. Is it the way the makeup is used to emphasize the kid's already blandly superboymodel cheekbones? Certainly. But mostly it's the look. The "I'm undead and so sexy it'll hurt your tween clit" glare.

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Controversies related to the author, Stephenie Meyer: The Issue of Feminism, Clash of Religion and Fiction, Invasion of Privacy and Intrusion into Meyer’s Artistic Work

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Feminist and Sexist Tones of the Books-

Bella is anti-feminist: Says an Amazon member:

…most likely, you'll hate it. Not because it's a romance (I'm all for feminine sides), but because it's not well written and because Bella is anti-feminist. I have a feeling most guys won't be blinded by lust for Edward (haha), so you have the advantage of unbiased opinion regarding this book. Without Edward Lust, the book has no redeeming qualities.

Correct me if I'm wrong, a girl or a woman for that matter is anti-feminist if she happens to be obsessed with a man and lust for him?

The book is sexist says another:

I honestly believe that only gay males would enjoy such a book because it's basically a Danielle Steel romance for teen girls (i.e. a book that takes a main character that you can picture yourself as, and provides a hot man character for you to fall in love with, just like the main character does). As a straight female, I don't care to read about how hot/sexy another woman is, and if I were a guy, I certainly wouldn't give a poo about how gorgeous/sexy another man is. Since this lusting after one another is the main plot, I wouldn't recommend this for you.

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On Religion Versus Vampires and Fiction: Mark Earley, Christian Post Guest Columnist wrote an article entitled The Wrong Message - A Closer Look at the 'Twilight' Series. Says Earley:

The message you might have heard is that these teen romances take a strong stand against sex before marriage and are therefore a great way to get that idea across to kids.

Well, ordinarily I’d be overjoyed about a popular mainstream series of books for girls with a pro-abstinence message. But in this case, I’m a bit more concerned than overjoyed.

He also analyzed the two main characters, Bella and Edward, and here’s his take:

Bella is completely without self-confidence. She’s constantly putting herself down and treating her boyfriend as some superior being, using terms like “god” and “angel” to describe him. She looks down on herself just for being human, and wants to lose her humanity as soon as possible.

In turn, the vampire Edward has disturbing habits like sneaking into Bella’s room and watching her sleep, eavesdropping on her and her friends, encouraging her to deceive her father, and even disabling her truck and kidnapping her to keep her from seeing other friends.

Put all this together, and you have one very unhealthy relationship—and this is what’s being viewed by far too many teens and adults as the greatest romance since Romeo and Juliet.

Just to cite one of the most obvious concerns, we’re living in an age of Internet predators, where it’s easier than ever for criminals to reach teenage girls and lure them away from home. And here we have these books celebrating a girl who’s willing to throw away her family, her friends, her identity, and her life for a stalker with controlling, even abusive tendencies.

Is this really something parents should be pushing? Are we trying to create a generation that’s naïve, gullible, and lacking in self-worth, or a generation of intelligent, strong young people who can stand up for themselves and for what is right?

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As much as I want to react to this article, it's best that someone else does. In fact, let another Religion-based site respond- Christianity Today. Says Stacey Lingle:

So, now that all four books are neatly lined up on my shelf, and I have left the world of Twilight, a couple questions remain. Was it worth it? Did my time reading this series profit me in anyway? It's a mixed bag. Was it entertaining? You betcha. I definitely got swept up in the heady romance of Bella and Edward. Was it encouraging and uplifting? Kinda. I saw good win out over evil, and was reminded of the power of love. Was it filled with a Christian worldview? Definitely not. The saga of Bella and Edward contains some elements that I know aren't part of the Christian life. When I weigh things presented as true in the books to the Truth of the Bible, they don't measure up. For instance, I cannot agree with Bella's attitudes towards spirituality or sex.

(As with all things, it's important to use discernment in choosing what you read. This series does contain scenes of kissing and references to married sex. It has some language and violence. And there is a pretty gory scene in the final book. If you do read Twilight, talk about it with your parent or youth leader.)

But on the whole, I believe there were some valuable lessons tucked in those 2,300 pages. Love. Sacrifice. Good triumphing over evil. Those are things that I, as a Christian, can appreciate.

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You can read more about this particular issue at Twilighters Anonymous. Interesting to note how fans reacted to the article, also available at TA.

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It's happened before. In fact, it happened to J.K. Rowling a couple of days before the release of Book Seven in Harry Potter--someone posted the entire manuscript illegally on the Internet.

But this time around it's a bit more painful for the author. The author is Stephenie Meyer, and the manuscript that was leaked is an unfinished draft (unedited, unrevised) of "Midnight Sun," the novel we "Twilight Series" and Stephenie Meyer fans have long known she's been writing in her hours of procrastinating revisions of "New Moon," "Eclipse," and "Breaking Dawn."

"Midnight Sun" is basically "Twilight" told from Edward's perspective. Several years ago Stephenie Meyer released the first chapter of "Midnight Sun" for fans online. But that was it.

I think the Twilight Guy who responded to the Midnight Sun leak said it perfectly:

People are proclaiming that ‘Stephenie should know better than to give drafts out to her friends’ but they are overlooking the fact that Midnight Sun has been partially written for years. These pages were done long before Stephenie was world famous, and probably given or shown to people before she ever dreamed that her works would even be leak-worthy.

Blaming Stephenie for trusting her friends is absolutely idiotic. At the moment, I have 100 pages of my second book floating amongst my friends, which won’t even be heard of by the world until months after my first book comes out (even my publishers have not seen any of it). These pages are rough, unedited early cuts that I let certain people read just to see what they think about it.

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Described by a number of movie bloggers as one of the most debated issues today - - Is Twilight destined to become a Box Office success?

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We've learned long ago to be skeptical of Comic-Con sensations. The place is the ultimate bubble, and just because a few light sabers swing in your direction doesn't mean the money will follow. But just because something has a hardcore fan base in San Diego doesn't mean it won't be a huge moneymaker either (just ask Robert Downey Jr.'s accountant).

So which rule should we follow for "Twilight," that box-office enigma that could turn into this year's "Harry Potter" -- or another example of the Comic-Con illusion?

I'm quoting the original article relative to the quote above:

But will the buzz translate into blockbuster boxoffice?

The question has become one of the industry's most debated. Its answer will offer a referendum not just on Summit's ability to shepherd a studio-style hit but also on whether franchises can be created on modest budgets at a time when production and distribution costs are skyrocketing and the YouTube generation is harder to reach than ever.

Summit is careful not to overplay expectations for the film. Yet the hype ramped up after the company moved swiftly to snag the Nov. 21 pre-Thanksgiving release date when "Harry Potter" was pushed to 2009. Now, some boxoffice analysts are predicting the $37 million-budgeted film (according to Summit; some peg its cost at $40 million-$50 million) could earn back close to its budget during its opening weekend alone.

[ read more from our original article ]

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Coming up, the final installment of the Comprehensive Guide.

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Comments (37)

Amazing!!

This is really a comprehensive guide xDDD
I liked pretty much the first part :/
Anyway, Twilight Sedin is searching for reporters in the USA, if you're interested, send me an email.
Thanks!
I can't wait to see the last part of the guide... but please, make it more compacted xD we need to translate it!!

Ravenna , October 22, 2008 | url

Another great article!

Isn't it fun to talk controversy?! Thanks for the piece, Jed. As always, this was fun to read ~ great content, with lots of broad perspectives. My favorite item was the Star Wars/Twilight,Male/Female comparison. It'll be fun to watch Twilight grow from its infancy. Looking forward to the next one.

Paige T , October 22, 2008

Great article as usual!

Great depth as usual, Jed! Liked the different viewpoints, well balanced article. Thanks!

Carolyn , October 22, 2008

Haa!

My sister has this one friend, a guy, straight and all hating Edward. He said all the girls around him were in love with Edward Cullen, even his 7 years old sister was all EDWARD. The best part his girlfriend might be in love with Edward more than him. Lol. Then, by force (at first) he read the book and at the end, he glowed saying, "OMG, he is a hot guy! No, beautiful!" He said he won't put it down until he finished the four books and its funny when you could see him being all grumpy Edward left in new moon. Not all males hated Twilight, they just didn't like the fact that Edward is stealing their women and sisters and mothers. Lol! With a plus, Ryan Seacrest was into the Twilight book now!

Lil , October 22, 2008

Very Comprehensive Indeed!

Wow! I guess I never really thought about how similar not to mention how synonymous the Star Wars/Star Trek fandom and the Twilight craze are. The only real difference are in the fans and the majority of the sexes involved.

Sure the majority of Trekkies are male, but just as stated in the article, there were some female fans as well. My step mom once told me a story of how she had stood outside in line, overnight, for Star Trek tickets when she was married to her ex-husband. She now tells me that its something you have to experience once in your life, going that extra mile for something trivial in a life filled with seriousness and chaos.

The Twilight craze is already apparent, even prior to the film. When Breaking Dawn came out there were parties for its release. Yes, I did go to one. lol. It was actually pretty strange. 40-something women dressed in a prom gown, complete with white gloves and I felt really bad for the 2-3 boyfriends I saw who were being towed around by their girlfriends (still I couldn't help but laugh). I couldn't do anything but sit up against a bookshelf and just watch, stunned, just how all these girls, women, and yes there were a couple of guys (one was actually dressed up as Edward for his girlfriend, which was very cute), were such fanatics.

I was speechless by all that I saw. Here were all these fans, dressed up as the characters, taking prom pictures, voting whether or not Bella becomes a vampire, or were dressed head to toe supporting either Team Jacob or Team Edward. There I was just observing and wanting my damn book. lol.

I may have not been involved in the whole Trekkie thing or the Star Wars phenomena, but I've seen the fandom. In sixth grade, my teacher took off 3 days because they were coming out with the newer Star Wars films. He even wore t-shirts for a couple weeks that were Star War themed. Now, seeing the Twilight craze, I can completely see how the two are related.

The feminist argument, it such bull. I consider myself somewhat of a feminist and the only thing that kind of sat in the back of my mind with slight, very slight bother was the fact Bella cooked and cleaned, doing household chores for her grown father. But, I get it. She was earning her keep and doing it out of love for him or even just something that kept her occupied. The romance aspect is what draws people in. I'm very girly in that way and that's what swept me in.

Personally, I think its too bad Meyer didn't go into much detail about sexual aspects in BD, but again, I get it, its meant more for a YA audience. As a quick counter argument (because this has become very long lol) Just gander at some other YA books, like Gossip Girl. I've never read but my 15yr old sister loves the books and some of what she has read me, is verrry racy. Sorry for the essay...

Brittany , October 22, 2008

Anti-feminist?

My first reaction to these fools is a question as to whether they remember what it was like to be seventeen. I was bugged to death by my daughter to read Twilight, and admittedly had a hard time getting through the first part; I thought Bella was just a little melodramatic, and overdid the obsession part. In the interests of objectivity (and because I was looking for something in particular), I pulled out my diary from when I was seventeen. Guess what? Stephenie got it right, at least from my experience. A nice girl raised among nice people, the obsessions, longings, all or nothing thinking-even an 'electricity when the lights go out during a classroom movie'-it was all there. I read that diary in one night, then dropped into the world of Twilight with a vengeance! It's too bad that there are those that can't drop their protective shields and just ENJOY THE STORY. As far as the Christan right's concern about the story setting bad examples for young people-get over yourselves. Keep an eye on your own kids, and realize how true to life some aspects of the story are. Kids test limits of all kinds-perhaps use the catalyst of the story to explore why these limits are set and expectations you have.

Jed, you've done a great job with this. I can't wait for your next installment.

Autumn B. , October 22, 2008

A Broader perspective...

Thanks for your comments! As I look at some of the more popular movie blogs, I can't help but smile for the simple reason that tMF almost always contain the best commentaries from its viewers! I'm very proud of that. It says a lot about tMF and the kind of audience it has.

It's no surprise that when I read the latest web stat report, it mentioned that 45% of visitors are regular ones, which means some of you have been visiting tMF more than once! Apologies for boasting but I'm just feeling awesome at the moment... ok, back to the topic!

Feminist is... what is it really? I got a number of cool girl friends who are proud to say they're feminists, and I always regard the term as a positive; a feminist is someone who thinks of herself first and foremost, speaks her mind and decide based on what is best for her. If my interpretation is wrong, then I have no right blogging here. I also don't think Bella is anti-feminist. What bothers me a bit is how some people seem addicted in classifying others - without even having the basis to do so. That's what I think about those hypocrites at the Amazon board. Some people already made their own conclusions, without even bothering to read the book and even advising others NOT to bother buying it.

Without Edward Lust, the book has no redeeming qualities.

Whoever said that is either joking or simply out of her mind. The way Meyer developed her characters can even be described as bordering on the conservative. She could have added more 'sensuality', but instead she opted to make it wholesome - for lack of a better word.

I honestly believe that only gay males would enjoy such a book because it's basically a Danielle Steele romance for teen girls

Again, is that honesty? perhaps it is, she is just being honest about her own set of prejudices, even proudly declaring so.

Lastly, I think the Twilight fandom will continue to grow. There are growing pains of course, including the fickleness of some (or many) of the fans. I think the cast has a lot to do with it- Rob and Kristen in particular.

With Meyer's support and the drive and pro-active stance of its leaders, the Twilight fandom may even become the reason for many people- from all walks of life- to find a common cause. I mean, belonging to a fan community is all about the enjoyment and the camaraderie, and the satisfaction that there are others who share the same interest- in this case a series of books. Who simple, yet as the fandom grew, there is much complications.

I'll have the last installment ready very soon! I'm sure you'll enjoy our list of fan fiction selections and the list of international fansites. I also am featuring some cool Twilighters!

jed , October 22, 2008

About Twilight being Anti-Feminist/Sexist.

This issue really burns me up. I am a feminist and I love Twilight.
I find the arguments against Twilight to lack context and character consideration.

In fact, it has bothered me SO MUCH SO, I wrote a (collaborative) essay about it and have posted it on SEVERAL Twilight related forums.

I Punched A Werewolf in the Face , October 22, 2008 | url

...

What bothers me a bit is how some people seem addicted in classifying others - without even having the basis to do so.

Change 'bit' to 'a lot' and I couldnt agree with you more.

Brittany , October 22, 2008

...

I think the controversies go much deeper than that. the pro- and anti- fans and much more heated. Check out twilight sucks and you can see more. I have had a lot of experience with this fandom, as a result I am actually writing a paper on the need to devalue female pop culture . All of these claims made against it don't stem from (well the majority at least) the actual issues they claim, but rather a distinct fear by society of the female collective in a male dominated pop culture.

Ms. Truitt , October 23, 2008 | url

good one..

this is a great article indeed... i didn't think these issues can be related to twilight...the anti-feminist/sexist.. but i guess the quotes says it all..

anyway being part of the twilight craze and fandom is fun.. you get to connect with fans worldwide and the fansites will give you what a fan wants and what a fan needs to know..

twilight series is a fictional story..i mean in these books the story wants you to go beyond your imagination and let you feel what the characters feels.. it doesn't tell you to change who you are or change your life..:)

as a fan of the twilight series i think that the twilight craze will continue to grow and reach other people.. it's a unique and entertaining story..:)

and for the guys and other people who don't like twilight.. just give the books and movie a chance to show what they want to show.. don't be so negative about it..

can't wait for the part 3..thanks jed..

shade_22 , October 23, 2008

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AWESOME article Jed. I love all of your articles, they're all fantastic, but this one was especially good (imho)! I'm looking forward to the next installment!

Just wanted to add that I agree w/what everyone else has said so far (including Jed, Brittany, and I Punched a Werewolf in the Face, just to name a few) about the "anti-feminist" issue. It's absolutely absurd, and as someone who considers myself feminist, it kinda makes me wonder if I even want to be considered feminist anymore, b/c if being feminist means I'm not aloud to fall in love or do what I want to do with my life, but I have to live up to what everyone else's expectations of being a "feminist" are, then I really don't think I want to BE feminist anymore. To me, feminism is about pursuing the things in life that you really want to do, whatever that may be, no matter what others may think about it or whether it's considered a "male" or "female" thing. I don't see that Bella in anyway contradicts that... she pursues her desires w/bravery and tenacity unmatched by many. Anyway, I need to stop now, I'm on my soapbox... sorry for the novel.

VanessaC , October 23, 2008

...

I didn't like this article. At all...
and not just because I'm a Twilight fan, there was too much Star Wars and Star Trek. I forgot we were even talking about Twilight....
I didn't care for it. It didn't flow, and I didn't enjoy the writing.

Mary , October 23, 2008

the problem? guys jealous?

Obviously the guy from chud.com is just angry because women would rather spend their nights curled up with Edward than him. I really think men are jealous of a fictional character, who is dead (technically), and could get f**ked more than they could alive, by just about any women on the planet. I also believe Bella is a great, strong, character. She knows what she wants and goes after it. I like that about her. Every guy I know hates Twilight, and all the women love it. Oh, and I have a gay friends who are Star Trek and Star Wars fans! What does gay have to do with being a fan?

k , October 23, 2008

fabulous Article

great article. I will watch for part #3

I know The Twilight fans keep on growing, Hey I read the books at least 15 times

cieraz , October 23, 2008

clean up

This is for Chud.com. UNBELIEVABLE! Do you kiss your mother with that mouth. That was pretty harsh. I know there is a lot of hoopla about these books and movie and the actors playing the characters. They are only acting and that's it.I'm sure none of them can help the way they look with their great hair,great eyes, and utter sexiness. You just need to get over it and the whole thing will blow over in oh about a few years.

tracy , October 23, 2008

Competition!

Twilight DOES have some healthy competition...the Harry Potter books may be finished, but now that RPattz has captured all of the Twilight fangirls' hearts, the HP fans have to take notice. Oh, and the accusations that Twilight "stole" HP's release date. Not to mention all of the comparisons between JKR and SM. For what it's worth, I was a HUGE Harry Potter fan (still love the books, and still think they're better than the movies) and am currently a "Twi-hard." I am disappointed that HBP got pushed back to next summer, as happy as I am to see Twilight three weeks sooner; I would've liked to see how the two movies did in comparison at the box office.

Mon Solo , October 23, 2008 | url

Great Controversies For A Series of 'Teen-Lit'

These issues certainly needed to be addressed and I'm glad TMF decided to start the discussion. And in that vein of discussion, I would like to continue in that tradition.

To clarify my background, I am a 23-year-old Christian woman. I am a recent college graduate and working full-time for a design agency. With that said, let me say that I love EVERYTHING that the 'Twilight' series stands for. It respects the healthy boundaries of relationships (even if in this case it is for fantastical reasons). It does not follow the pattern of your typical romance novel of today. It's more old-fashioned and truer to a Jane Austen novel than anything out there today. It's love, pure and simple. Nothing hard about it besides the fantasy reasoning of a vampire and human.

Now, as far as religion goes, I keep this in the same place as Harry Potter. Do I think Harry Potter is evil? No. Would I read it? I currently am. I see no reason why to NOT read these books. There are the restrictions I would place on my children simply for the fact that they are fantasy books. I would want my children to understand the difference between reality and fantasy before reading anything. Then, I would let them choose for themselves. It's a rather simple equation, really.

Stephenie Meyer herself is a Mormon. She has certain values that will inevitably spill over into her work. When something is that important to you, it tends to leak out in everything you do. You make certain decisions based on your beliefs and that controls what you create, what you present to an audience. The Twilight series, for me, presents a framework for old-fashioned morals and, yes even courtship. What is so wrong with that picture of gentlemen and ladies? Is America so blind to shock that something chaste (or the essence of it) is strange, weird and too prudish to even consider? I applaud Mrs. Meyer for her continuance un keeping the series fit for all ages to read.

Bella as anti-feminist? How do people see this? Because she is weak? Because she chooses love over a living life? For her, this is what she wants. She is brought to us with a past of being very introverted and mature in her thinking and acting (for the most part). I see Feminism as a choice. Women get to CHOOSE what they will do. Whether it be a stay-at-home mom or an independent CEO of a company, both are choices and therefore should not be shunned by a feminist for thinking one way or the other.

And the appeal to both genders is personal opinion again. I absolutely love Star Wars. I place Anakin Skywalker right up there with Edward Cullen (although, Edward is 100 times more handsome than Anakin) and I love both series. I am a bit tomboyish, so I loved playing with matchbox cars and Legos as child. I watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transformers growing up. For Halloween I was not Supergirl, but Superman, complete with sock muscles. My best guy friend has read the series and finds that he loves it. He's obsessed with Alice and Jasper, his two favorite characters. I recently had another friend of mine wanting to try Twilight, since he heard my other friend and I talk about it.

So, in essence, this is for everyone. It has mass appeal and when it hits the big silver screen in November, I can assure you I will have a group of guys and gals sitting with popcorn in our laps and watching one of the most celebrated fictional romances come to life.

Sammie , October 23, 2008 | url

Perfectly stated...

While i am a christian myself, I find that anyone who analyzes these stories for anything more than fantasy-fiction is completely rediculous. Anyone that has a brain for themselves can certaintly read between the lines and find the underlining message that Stephanie has written about pre-marital sex. Even though Edward Cullen is a "sinful" vampire (becaues all vampires are damned right?) he still has morals in the fact hes lived for 108 years a virgin, stating he never found "the right one." Which in all respect, is what every person 'should' say right? Well, the society we live in today is not like that and the fact a damned vampire states it very clearly and follows through until "I DO" is very clear to me... Remain a virgin until wed.

The fact that anyone has to write and say dont let kids read this because Edward comes through her window at night, yada yada... is again rediculous. This is a fantasy-fiction novel, and most kids understand that. I doubt some pre-pubesent 13 year old is going to beg someone to crawl through her window and watch her sleep. And if you as a parent have a kid like that... well then, maybe you should be doing MORE parenting and have explained right from wrong and this is a fantasy type novel.

I read interview with the vampire when I was 15, and that was highly more romantic, seductive, dangerous, inapropriate than this book could even dream of being. I would say I turned out normal... because I knew it was fiction.

To move on, I just want to also say the moment i first read twilight, me girlfriend and I instantly said "omg, this is star wars for girls." So to be perfectly honest, im ok with that. haha... you hit it on the nail with adding that to this artical.

Last thing I have to say- to the idiot who made disgusting comments on his artical about Rob Pattinson saying such remarks about female parts and such... Ew Sick. yes, EW SICK. This guy has serious issues with himself. Who cares about Robert Pattinson to begin with, so why write such a grotesque comment about pre-pubesent girls? I cant even speak on it anymore...

CassieLynS , October 23, 2008

...

The Chud.com piece was a good laugh for me (although I do think I killed off a few brain cells while reading it). I don't think there was one coherent or intelligent sentence in the entire paragraph and I'm still trying to figure out what the purpose of it even was.

Regarding the religious issue, I think Stacy (from Christianity Today) had a great response so I commend her for that. In my opinion, Mark Earley seemed to only look at one side of the story. Yes, Bella has insecurities and is frequently self-conscious, but please tell me, what teenage girl doesn't have insecurities? Of course, we are hearing the story from Bella's point of view so it's easier to notice the flaws she considers herself to have, but you have tunnel vision if you haven't noticed that Edward is plenty aware of his flaws as well. Edward mentions several times that he is a "monster" and is envious of Bella's mortality. I think it's natural for many people to focus on their own flaws while simultaneously noticing their significant other's assets, so I don't think it's fair for Mark to consider Bella to be a bad role model when she has traits that are very common in society. I could go on for days about the falsities in his article, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion so I'll let him have his.

And on that note, I'll get off my soapbox.

But great article, Jed. I think it's nice someone addressed all these controversies head on, so thank you. And I am eagerly awaiting part 2 of the guide!

Team Switzerland , October 23, 2008

...

I think that the reason most guys don't like Twilight (and/or refuse to read it)is because it is largely labeled as a "chick flick" and they are jealous of Edward.

Rose , October 23, 2008

...

I keep seeing mention of Twilight, but this is the first I have actually ventured inside a thread or article about it, so the first I have actually read about it, but virtually everything stated about it makes me determined not to see it. What a profoundly sexist discussion this is on all sides -- what men want, what women want, what gay men will like or not... It's like an endless parade of digusting stereotypes, and even the people arguing the points amongst themselves in these articles seem to take them all utterly for granted.

I am a gay man, and though I'm not some obsessive Trekker, I did really love the show when I was a kid, and so did my best friend, who was a girl. From the description given here, I can't imagine I'd enjoy watching Twilight, and yet this is supposedly the kind of film gay men want to see?

Look, I do recognize that there are some vague, general rules of thumb with regards to marketting demographics, but this is all so over-the-top, it's flatly offensive. I haven't read the book and have no interest in doing so, so can't comment on whether I think the piece itself is anti-feminist, but a lot of this "controversy" is -- profoundly so.

Victor , October 23, 2008

Victor

I think you are justified in feeling insulted. To talk about Twilight as a book only women would like, or gay men would like, is one completely uninformed, and two insulting. There seems to be this need to attack anything that might seem feminine in pop culture, as if it somehow needs to be devalued to make it safe. Even the labeling of the novel as feminine raises some really unsettling questions for me. I have been teaching for three years and have seen hundreds of kids read these books. All sorts of kids - kids of all races, girls AND boys, gay, straight, bi. When we don't understand a fandom, we unfairly try to categorize it. Anything popular must be ridiculed, lessened, or weakened. There is nothing scarier than the masses. This does not mean that people can't criticize the books, but it is the way in which they do it that I find to be in poor taste and lacking intelligence.

mstruitt , October 24, 2008 | url

...

I believe homophobia itself is based in the degradation of the feminine, in the sense that the most terrifying and disgusting thing imaginable to the kneejerk homophobe is ultimately their own emasculation, the loss of male privilege and descending, as it were, to the status of women. So, yeah, there's some of that going on here.

Maybe elucidating my own averse reaction to the descriptions of the themes and characters will help uncover something useful. I really like vampire movies. Always have. I wonder how many people here are aware of the history of vampire movies, but they have historically been vehicles by which to sneak controversial subjects such as drug addiction and the "forbidden love" of gays and lesbians past the censors. If anybody is interested in this history, I would highly recommend the documentary The Celluloid Closet which has an extensive analysis of matter. But, for me as a kid, the key points of the vampire mythos is this overpowering desire for something absolutely taboo and even damnable for all eternity, this romance of outcasts, and the sheer eroticism and even outright homoeroticism of it -- where else do you see men biting one another's necks in this mixture of ecstacy and pain, the sheer lust of it all ... And yet, there it is on a mainstream movie screen!

Someone else points this out, but when I hear these descriptions of the wholesomeness of Twilight, all this "waiting for marriage" and so forth, all I can think of is Jane Austin, and that flies right in the face of all I love about vampires.

Some people, of any demographic, may like this film for their own reasons, but it's the last thing this gay man would like to watch, and the vibe I get from the person suggesting only women and gay men would like this film is that they are stereotyping gay men as prissy, effeminate people, and degrading women in the same breath, and I just don't know a lot of people who fit into those kinds of pigeonholes comfortably.

Victor , October 24, 2008

weeeeeeeeeee

with out Edward the twilight wouldnt exist.simply all books has its own characters to look at xD

fallen , October 24, 2008

...

I've just read chud.com and man, I agree with Tracy; it's wayyy harsh. Most of the comments aren't any better too, and it kind of hurt me as a Twilight fan. I just pity the writer though, he seemed really insecure and jealous of Rob Pattinson for his good looks that he can't even escape from. I just couldn't stop shaking my head; he has like 0 intelligence inside his head. What's up with the beard anyway?

SM knew that when she was writing Twilight, she just couldnt satisfy everyone with her story. I mean, who can? She did the best she could and I totally love her work. It's totally fair for Twilight to have haters. I know Harry Potter has haters too. It's totally fine if you don't like something; everyone doesn't think alike and has different emotions and opinions. What bothers me the most is how people can get so immature and childish when it comes to criticizing. All I see are profanities and early negative judgments. Where is dignity and sense of respect toward others?

And I truly agree with some comments before me; to be prejudice towards Twilight (like saying Bella is anti-feminist) without even bothering to read it first, that's something that only comes out from the mouth of people full of egos.It shows that they are narrow.

Thanks for the great article once again Jed. Can't wait for the next one.

Fi , October 27, 2008

Victor

I believe homophobia itself is based in the degradation of the feminine, in the sense that the most terrifying and disgusting thing imaginable to the kneejerk homophobe is ultimately their own emasculation, the loss of male privilege and descending, as it were, to the status of women. So, yeah, there's some of that going on here.
Omgosh, Victor, can I just say I love you? Yes, I absolutely agree with your analysis here. But I must beg that you don't let the discussion you've seen shy you away from something you might ultimately like (and have a completely different opinion about!).

Yes, people in certain circles praise the "waiting till marriage" aspect of Bella & Edward's relationship. However, let it be said that the wait isn't made for a religious reason--and it comes with quite a fight put up by Bella.

While I wouldn't say Twilight is a bastion of feminist literature, it's got some great things going for it that other novels of such popularity do not. The book acknowledges (w/o any challenging nor apologizing) that teen women are sexual beings. Another thing I find deeply refreshing is the fact that Bella is not made the keeper of Edward's chastity. She is not the morality police for their relationship.

Just some things to think about. I really hope you give the books a chance (gotta read them all too, I mean the story isn't over till the books are!).

I Punched A Werewolf In The Face , October 27, 2008

...

The chud dude looks like the ugly red headed kid from "MAD" magazine. No wonder he hates Robert's face. This is classic male machismo in play there where guys see "THEIR TERRITORY"(action/thriller/fantasy) get treated with a feminine touch and they go ballistic. Women deal with very machismo elements in movies all the time, including the objectification of the female form. Look what sissies guys like Chud become when the tables are turned. Talk about feeling threatened by a handsome face and the concept of love and romance set in a traditionally masculsine realm of storytelling.

I do have a feeling he's secretly lusting after Rob there too though--too much passion behind the words.....way too much passion. Don't blame him either-if any guy could make a male chauvinist switch teams for a second, it's RObert!

lola , October 27, 2008

Victor

You make good points. But don't let what others say fool you.

Twilight reimagines the vampire setup in a way that is sexy and with humor and heart.

It's not cheesy schmaltz about vampires with "true love waits" on their fingers.

It's more about two outsiders(cause Bella is an outsider in the human world and Edward is an outsider in the vampire world) coming together to find refuge in the most unexpected of places.

Jane Austen shouldn't be dismissed as some frigid chick either who should be a counterpoint to what vampirism stands for in a literary sense. She dealt with societal constrictions that are place on people simply due to birth or class or gender in such a keen way that it makes her stories relevant today.

Vampires in Twilight are treated as a segregated class in some ways. Seeing how a vampire who doesn't want to hurt people(because he was just a regular boy once) and yet attempts to live among his natural prey is a great premise. And falling for the girl who you'd most like to take a bite out of because her blood literally sings to you? And yet she's the one person who gets you? Great premise.

lola , October 27, 2008

disagree

With the idea that Twilight has no christian themes going on here. The books don't in a hokey way, but in a rather sophisticated way where it ponders the ideas of agency, how to truly resist evil but not on evil's terms, and what it means to truly love one another.

The last book in the series basically expounds on these notions that are encapsulated in the SErmon on the Mount.

i'm sort of shocked at how superifical those articles deal with what they see as "Christian" as if all it means to be Christian is some sort of standard for premarital sex or something.

malia , October 27, 2008

OH, I really

hate the "Bella is an anti-feminist" arguments. I really, really do.

Bella is a strong character who is very willing to go up to bat against scary, scary people/vampires/werewolves to stick up for those she loves.

She basically saves Edward from dying in New Moon by going straight into the lion's den of Volturi.

Yet, she's considered anti-feminist because she is humanized as a character, complete with flaws and insecurities and normal 17 year old girl neuroses?

Please, I hate fake characters that always say and do and think the politically correct and right thing. I don't want a flat character who simply works as a "type" to illustrate "girl power."

I'm a die hard feminist personally. I can't stand all the post-feminist rhetoric of today. And yet I look at Twilight as such an engaging series about an ordinary girl who is thrusted into an extraordinary journey--all because, as Jacob says in Breaking Dawn, "Bella loves the wrong things."

It's that paradox - of bella loving the things she shouldn't--- that makes the story. I wish people stopped trying to force fit this story into either rally cry or a put down on feminism. It's so self conscious in nature....it's like the flip side of the religious right's constant witch hunts for "gay" cartoon characters like Tinky Winky and Spongebob...lord...
I

casey , October 27, 2008

Surprised!

Hi Victor! While I don't know you personally, I think that after having read a number of your posts in your blog, I know that you're someone who is uncompromising, would always speak his mind, and decide on issues based on his conviction.

While you might be turned off by the endless chatter of male-female-gay agenda and their promotion, I would think having not known of Twilight and finally seeing the kind of strong support and opposition to it would have made the book more interesting to you, or perhaps make you a bit more curious.

This is not an ordinary book, yeah its 'light reading' to some, but there is more to it in terms of the substance and the form.

jed , October 27, 2008

Fans for and those against

Hi Ms. Truitt! I think you're right. I was reading some of my old posts/articles related to what other movie blogs have been saying of Twilight. I think aside from the contention regarding the development of certain characters in the preceeding books, some 'former fans' seem to be in utter disbelief that their beloved characters have gone 'awry' or 'alien' and were quite disappointed with the direction Meyer has chosen.

These types of anti-Twilight fans has more venom than say those who simply dislike it because its not within their 'personal taste'.

jed , October 27, 2008

Touche, Jed!

Although you probably should have also picked up by now that I am the Unconquerable Queen of All Hyperbole, also!

Actually, after the round of posts that have come up today, I am somewhat more interested. I will probably see the film eventually -- maybe not immediately as time is tight at the moment -- or at least give a listen to an audiobook.

It's probably telling -- I was talking to someone I know who follows my blog but hasn't been following the Little Ashes stuff a couple of weeks ago, and we were mostly talking about how I've come to feel that Dali is the man-of-the-hour at the moment (9 films supposedly in various stages of production, though who knows how many will see the light of day) in large part because he symbolically embodies the state of the culture as a whole, this particular nexus of controversies and inner conflicts reflect those that the whole western world is grappling with at the moment, and has been ever since the Spanish Civil War, at least. I'd made some remark about Little Ashes that I can't quite remember right now, except that he came back with something like, "So then, this would be your basic impossible love story, but seen through a particularly anti-Romantic Dalinian lens."

I just kinda looked at him for a few seconds, because it was the first time it really hit me that until I actually SEE this movie myself, with my own eyes and thoughts, all this chatter really is more or less meaningless. Yes, we've had excellent reviews so far, but they focus on a level of interpretation that just isn't the way I tend to look at art from. They tend to emphasize what a beautiful and heartbreaking a love story it is, but my own sense is that this particular set of source material is about SO much more than the specific story that went down between these two specific individuals, and nobody else has written about it from that kind of angle yet, so I really have no idea.

At the moment, that's more or less my take on Twilight, too. I was too quick to listen to what other people think about this on all sides of the issue, and let a lot of them irritate the hell out of me, when what I get out of the piece would probably be very different from what others do, anyway, and there's no way to tell how it might fall.

One of the unexpected surprises that I've learned from researching Lorca is that "La Mancha" is derived from an Arabic phrase meaning "higher level." These are the first two words of "Don Quixote," and they are also the quintessence of the entire book. And learning this, I've realized that's always been the draw for me to that book, and to all the books, films, music, art, etc., that I have loved -- they operate on multiple levels, and there's always a higher level for you to see than the one you did last time.

Victor , October 27, 2008 | url

...

I think Twilight is a great metaphor for first love personally. You don't need to have a vampire boyfriend to make you feel all sorts of a supernatural love and angst.

But the rest of the series as a whole really is about the paradox of Bella loving the wrong things. She goes against her human nature to love those who shouldn't. In turn, her actions aren't just about her relationship with Edward, they are much more far reaching.

She falls for a vampire who really wants to suck her blood. She becomes bff with a werewolf, her vampire bf's natural enemy. She tries to protect her human family from the danger she invites with hanging out with supernatural dudes and doggies. She loves a little bun in the oven who could eat her from the inside out at the end of the series, literally.

All these creatures should not be loved by her. And yet she flips the bird to what "nature" and good human etiquette tells her and loves and builds relationships with all these different types of folks.

In the end, her choices to insist on going against the grain end up being what saves her vampire family . She ends up subverting the "natural" order of the vampire world, and undermines the old boys network ruling power of the vamp world, the Volturi. She single handedly ushers in a new age for the vampire world, where human and vamp marry, make mixed blooded offspring, and make alliances with werewolves.

She and Edward are a sort of Adam and Eve type where by "taking of the forbidden fruit," they actually change things for the better in large ways. She is an Eve figure in the tradition where instead of seeing as ushering in original sin and the fall, Eve is venerated for changing up the stagnant order of things and gets things moving along.

These books are what they are. They aren't totally heavy reads. But they are so deceptively readable, many people will dismiss them as pure fluff. There's a lot more to them than people give them credit for for youth oriented literature.

casey , October 27, 2008

...

and one last thing, I feel I need to say this as a proud feminist.

In some ways, I find the anti-feminist tirades against this Twilight unknowingly anti-feminist.

Because in many ways, what is being identified as "feminist" is really simply pop cultural conceptions of power. And pop cultural ideas of power are usually framed in very simplistic terms, like a girl who is shown kicking butt physically with judo or weilding a gun.

If SM had written Bella as a girl who never tripped, who did karate chops on vampires and beat them up, who refused to cook for her dad(I HATE when people bring up the fact she cooks, who cares if she likes to and her dad doesn't insist upon it? Can't a kid help out around the house without it looking like subjugation to people???), who didn't care when Edward broke up with her and instead put on her dancing shoes and danced the night away, for some reason? She'd be called a pro-feminist. She would, no one would have a problem with that sort of flat characterization.

But she's clumsy. She is just a human who can't fight against supernatural vampires. She is bummed when she breaks up with her bf. And she likes to cook for her dad, cause dinner is the one moment of the day they have together.

Somehow, that makes her not "girl powery" enough.

It's completely absurd to me how people's conceptions of a good feminist role model resemble a two dimensional video game action hero like Lara Croft of Tomb Raider. It's basically feeding into the very crude conceptions of what strength that were identified with male chauvinism years ago.

A big

casey , October 28, 2008

twilight comment

Jed and Casey...two very intrigueing (sp?) individuals, and may I thank you for lots of thought provoking ideas? Merci! I am far from teeny bopper age, and have written all my life, altho lightly published up to now. Most of my work is piling up around me, haha, while I do practical stuff to pay the bills.
I was really struck by the film, fascinated actually, and went out and bought the whole series, read them in a two week period, some overnight, with eyeballs falling out!I was caught by the writer's style, her ease and skill and sensitivity in creating a world which was comfortable, challenging and with sharply drawn and relatable characters one can really care about! It is an amazing quality she has and I am in awe of how much life she has given the characters.Ther eis an emotional connection one feels with the characters which as a writer myself, I can only admire from afar, hahaha...
I really dont care who of my elitist friends, who move in artistic circles, would ever read these books or even see the movie. I am really enjoying sharing my fandom (I'm an old Beatles and U2 fan..was into the real 60's music scene myself, lol) well, sharing my fandom with my daughters and my granddaughter.
We are all happy with the quality of what we are reading and seeing, how much we are enjoying the young actors, the mood set by brilliant Catherine HArdwicke in the first film, and the fine, subtle work done by many of the actors in the film, such as Billy Burke and the amazing Rob Pattinson and Kristin Stewart, a truly wonderful actress in the Jodie Foster mold.
I am reenergized to get back to writing after this refreshing journey through the Twilight series, and the fan sites. Its lovely really, and I hope I never get so jaded I cannot get out of my own head and feel the wonderful energy shimmering inside and all around this project, and its many layers. In a world filled with grim realities on a daily assaulting basis, I am grateful to SM for such a jewel, such a labor of love. Whatever your take on the work, it illustrates the enormous power of the written word, and its ability to touch, move and inspire us lonely humans. I, for one, have awakened to my inner Bella,and hopefully, will continue to write, as I am finally doing after such a long dry, silent period. Tahnks again SM, for lighting a fire under me.My burnt jeans thank you!
Keep the lively blogs going!
sky

sky , December 24, 2008

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