tomorrow.

i deliberately set my birthday info on facebook to private.

and really, the only reason for doing so was because i want my friends to feel guilty that they forgot my birthday

does that make me a bad friend? maybe.

when your week is devoid of tumblr, you just know that its time to sit back and take a break from the world.

currently addicted to stephanie plum novels: it makes me feel like a woman in her mid40s to be reading these things, but they’re just so darn addicting. 

“Twilight”: the story of a young girl, an alluring vampire, and the FBI agent hunting them down.

Sounds a little off, doesn’t it? But according to the film’s producer, at one point the movie adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling novel was going to be much different than what ended up on the screen.

In a recent interview with Hollywood Life, producer Mark Morgan opened up about the difficult three-year process he endured to get “Twilight” on the screen. Paramount Pictures originally bought the rights to the novel, but the studio wanted to add in more action movie elements that weren’t in the original romantic story.

Morgan said, “They had Bella fighting back. They had her father dying in one of the scripts, actually, and her becoming a vampire in the first movie.” According to Morgan, the book was just beginning to gain popularity at that time, and had not yet developed its massive fan following. So the studio was not confident that the love story could attract a big enough audience.

Apparently, Paramount felt that making “Twilight” into an action flick would attract more male moviegoers. Morgan said, “They would have gone for someone bigger… One of their drafts literally had a Korean FBI agent who was hunting and tracking vampires across the coast.” There were also scenes in the early scripts that had “SWAT [officers] in the trees… and the vampires were picking them out of the woods.”

Stephenie Meyer wasn’t happy with the changes to her story that were being proposed. She toldMediaBlvd Magazine, “Bella was a track star in the first scene. I read it and was like, “This isn’t the girl from the book that I love!’” She felt that the script strayed so far from her original work that it should not have even been called “Twilight.”

Eventually, Paramount decided that they changed their minds and were not going to make the movie. Morgan then shopped the book around to other Hollywood studios, but none of the majors were interested. Eventually, Summit Entertainment stepped forward to not only make the movie, but to do so in a way that was faithful to the book. It was even written into Meyer’s contract that the vampires would not be shown with fangs, just as she had depicted them.

It was a gamble, but one that paid off handsomely. So far, the three movies of “The Twilight Saga” have earned nearly $1.8 billion at the box office worldwide. Plus, there are two more films on the way. The final book, “Breaking Dawn,” will be split into separate movies coming in 2011 and 2012.

(article)

wouldve been so much better imho

One common phrase you see thrown around is “the separation of church and state”. We see this enforced fairly well in America, mostly by democrats and other forms of liberals. Yes, it seems to be true that the majority of conservatives base their beliefs on religion. Many debates between various political parties bring up the question, “What is your religion?” Because yes, it does matter. But let’s just take a step back from all the political tension and truly remove all religion from “state”, education, politics, etc. Honestly, wouldn’t that be the most fair, the most politically correct?

Education. In our public schools today we teach a variety of religions in order to expand the knowledge of our students. Bhuddism, creationism, Christianity.. Where are the minor religions? I don’t see scientology or cults anywhere in there. Either include every religion existing in America, or don’t mention religion at all.

A Christian evangelizing on the streets bothers you? Then don’t stand outside of Christian events saying so-and-so leads to hell. Don’t like it when we say “one nation under God”? Then don’t push evolution on people. (Although to be honest, the whole Pledge of Allegiance debate is another issue in itself.)

I guess this whole post is an unnecessary exaggeration, but really the catalyst of this all is the Mosque-at-Ground-Zero talk that has been going around. Governor candidate A says he will use his powers as governor to ban the mosque. Governor candidate B says everyone deserves to build on privately owned property. Is this a matter for governors, mayors, etc. to handle? Granted, at one point, they might need to get involved. However we see that this religious debate has become a pivotal point in politics across the nation.

All I’m saying is every phrase, every law, every rule needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Do not murder; what if you’re being murdered yourself, kidnapped, robbed, attacked? Silence is golden; is it really, 100% of the time? I think what we have lost sight of is this: we need to listen to what the people are saying, but we must be practical. If those against the mosque are already in the streets protesting, we must consider the consequences of raising a building. Buildings are fragile things: bombs, fires, or even an angry mob could topple a hundred buildings in a day. Out of respect for the families who lost loved ones, and out of respect for those who want to worship their god in peace, we must look at the instigators, the radicals who, until death, would not allow this mosque to happen. This continuing strife near Ground Zero is not a way to honor the memories of the dead.

I’m sorry that in your world drivers never look in their mirrors. I’m sorry I couldn’t predict that car making a left turn. I’m sorry that instead of braking before the other cars braked, I only braked once I saw their lights. Sorry you couldn’t hear me stepping on the brakes, and sorry I was startled when you screamed at me for no reason.

Sorry for getting angry when you said I would never be getting a car if I continue driving like that, and sorry that in your world, being a good driver means slowing down traffic, not signaling, being discourteous, looking at yourself in the vanity mirror constantly, and never ever ever ever looking in the rear view mirror. Sorry that I tried to pass the car who repeatedly stepped on the brake when there was an open road ahead of them.

Sorry, I think I missed the class where they told us only you can be angry, sad, smart, or have a shred of ambition or self respect.

this is a brand new tumblr. i do have another one, i guess i could call it my “main” one, but i feel like that one is so superficial, and it really isnt a blog at all: just a place to reblog hilarious things.

so i suppose this tumblog will be more of my thoughts, my photographs, my writing, etc. 

and i’m writing this to my 0 followers, but i think that actually helps in a way. i mean its great to have followers and everything, but maybe my perception gets a bit skewed?… we’ll see what happens.