Sunday Stealing: The W.T.F. Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. One of my favorite TV shows recently changed the actors who played two characters. Have you ever been bothered by a TV show or movie series changing actors who play a character you love? I think Bewitched handled it best, the actors looked similar. But today they can look totally different, like Roseanne's 2 Becky's...similar hair color and that's about it. They couldn't have looked more different and that bothers me.

2. A coworker recently shared a link to a blog listing the "five things you should know before dating a journalist." As a journalist, I can honestly say the writer was spot-on. What are some things people should know before spending time with you? At some point I'm going to make a stupid joke, or in some other way sound like an idiot...please bare with me I'm not good at this whole socializing thing. :) And if I seem stuck up, I'm not...just really, really shy.

3. What is something you often do without realizing that you're doing it? fidgeting with my feet.

4. Who has the capacity to make you angrier than anyone else in your life, and what in particular does he or she do to make you so angry? Me, and just repeating the same stupid behaviors over and over.

5. If a fairy waved a magic wand and gave you the house of your dreams, where would it be and what features would it have? In the country on a big plot of land with lots of trees. It would have a huge kitchen and master bath/bedroom. The boys would each have their own rooms, and there'd be a large living room with space for the family to hang out and all our computers. And a big basement with storage and laundry room.

6. What’s a belief that you hold with which many people disagree? I won't mourn people I don't know. It's not that I'm happy, I'm not celebrating either. But I'm not going to pretend to be all broken up when I didn't know the person (or people).

7. I used to talk in my sleep. In fact, I could carry on a conversation with someone when I was fully asleep, and my mom used this fact when I was a teenager to find out if I did anything wrong and was hiding it from my parents. If you were talking your sleep tonight, what do you think you would say? I don't know. My dreams are so inconsistent, it would change all the time.

8. The fourth installment of the "Twilight" movie series ("Breaking Dawn Part I") will be released in theaters soon. Movie theaters started selling advance tickets for midnight showings months ago. Have you ever attended a midnight premiere showing of a movie? No, that is a fairly new phenomenon and with the boys I don't like to be up that late anymore. Plus I know it'll be crowded. I'd rather wait a few weeks so I don't have to touch people I don't know.

9. On Tuesday, tigers, lions and bears were let loose in Zanesville, Ohio, by their owner before he committed suicide, leading to a hunt in which 49 of the animals, including 18 endangered Bengal tigers, were killed. How would you react if you saw "Caution exotic animals. Stay in your vehicle" being displayed on a road sign? Safari!

10. If a company opened a theme park aimed at adults, what would you name one of the rides? Huh? God this meme today is annoying.

11. Imagine you just moved onto Sesame Street. Which puppet would you want as your new roommate? Mr. Snuffleupagus, people tend to leave him alone, so we'd have some quiet.

12. Have you ever had a weird crush on a famous person that didn't make sense to you? No, what a strange question. It's not like sexuality is this set thing that never changes. You can like lots of different people, male, female, short, tall, thin, fat....and all at the same time. Why would that be strange?

13. If you get ten minutes to interview any celebrity of your choice, who would you like it to be? Helena Bonham Carter

14. You've just won the complete DVD collection of all the movies starring one actor or actress. Which actor/actress would you pick? Johnny Depp

15. Actor George Clooney recently told People Magazine that he doesn't use Twitter "because I will drink in the evening and I don't want anything that I could possibly write at midnight to actually end my career." What is something you've said through social media and then regretted it? It's not anything for myself. But I have put my foot in my mouth on my friends' pages. And I'm not about to tell you what it was!

16. VH1 has re-introduced its hit show "Pop-Up Video," which gives behind-the-scenes facts for popular music videos. What musician would you be most interested in learning behind-the-scenes facts about? Eh, I could care less. I just want to hear the music I enjoy. I don't need to know the biography of all the musicians. Oh, ok I guess it would be Weird Al. His stuff is always interesting.

17. If you stumbled across someone's personal written journal that was accidentally left in a public place, would you read any of the content? I'd love to say I wouldn't...but I would. Well if I knew the person I wouldn't but a stranger...yeah I'd read it all.

18. What is the title of a self-help book that you'd never want to see on a store bookshelf? Let Loose your Inner Stripper?

19. Many media outlets have been asking this question a lot this week... Which Halloween costume do you think will be overdone this year? I don't know...Don't care.

20. Should a marriage license have a renewal date or expiration date, like a driver’s license? No, marriage is a commitment. If you know before you get married that you won't make it, then don't get married. I'm not saying I'm against divorce, mistakes happen, but we shouldn't completely let go of the institution of marriage. And yes we should allow gay people the right to marry AND make divorce something possible without lawyers.

Mile 81

By Stephen King

Available at Amazon and Barnes and Nobles (e-book only I'm afraid)

Synopsis:
With the heart of Stand By Me and the genius horror of Christine, Mile 81 is Stephen King unleashing his imagination as he drives past one of those road signs...

At Mile 81 on the Maine Turnpike is a boarded up rest stop on a highway in Maine. It's a place where high school kids drink and get into the kind of trouble high school kids have always gotten into. It's the place where Pete Simmons goes when his older brother, who's supposed to be looking out for him, heads off to the gravel pit to play "paratroopers over the side." Pete, armed only with the magnifying glass he got for his tenth birthday, finds a discarded bottle of vodka in the boarded up burger shack and drinks enough to pass out.

Not much later, a mud-covered station wagon (which is strange because there hadn't been any rain in New England for over a week) veers into the Mile 81 rest area, ignoring the sign that says "closed, no services." The driver's door opens but nobody gets out.

Doug Clayton, an insurance man from Bangor, is driving his Prius to a conference in Portland. On the backseat are his briefcase and suitcase and in the passenger bucket is a King James Bible, what Doug calls "the ultimate insurance manual," but it isn't going to save Doug when he decides to be the Good Samaritan and help the guy in the broken down wagon. He pulls up behind it, puts on his four-ways, and then notices that the wagon has no plates.

Ten minutes later, Julianne Vernon, pulling a horse trailer, spots the Prius and the wagon, and pulls over. Julianne finds Doug Clayton's cracked cell phone near the wagon door — and gets too close herself. By the time Pete Simmons wakes up from his vodka nap, there are a half a dozen cars at the Mile 81 rest stop. Two kids — Rachel and Blake Lussier — and one horse named Deedee are the only living left. Unless you maybe count the wagon.

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Classic King. Boys doing boy things you don't even want to think about (especially now that I'm a mother of 2 boys), man-eating cars, and only the kids smart enough to stay back from said car.

I was leary buying this - I'm not special enough to get review copies of King books yet (lol), but I am a die hard fan. This is only available as an e-book so I decided to give it a chance. Hell, Christine scared the snot out of me when I was 16, and the description felt like it was sort of in that spirit. The last e-book short story he did, I think it was UR was awful. Like I quit reading it because it was just boring and not going anywhere...that's why I was arguing with myself. Well the Christine side won and I pushed the button to purchase.

Yup, straight up classic King. Very scary, kind of gooey and really, really stupid people. I love how he dives into people's heads as they are dying. The fact that they think things that are so absurd and down to earth makes you feel like you'd probably think the same things. I really don't want to give too much away, but the one thought that stuck with me was "Oh, that's what she meant by sticky."

If you like scary stories then go ahead, it's only $2.99 and I read it in about an hour. Plus there's a preview of his newest book 11/22/63: A Novel.

Pagan Writers Presents Samhain

Edited by: Camenæ deWelles, Angelique Mroczka, Rosa Sophia

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble (also in paperback)

Synopsis:
Samhain marks the end of summer and the preparation for winter. To many, Samhain is merely Halloween, but to Pagans, it is a day when the veil between the worlds is thinnest, and we can reconnect with our beloved deceased. Samhain is a joyful celebration where we invite the spirits of our loved ones into our homes to remember and honor them.

Pagan Writers Presents Samhain is a collection of articles, poetry, and short stories. Forty Pagan writers have come together to express how we celebrate the holiday, to share their thoughts and feelings, and to entertain with stories that take place on or around the last week of October.

Leave your broom by the door and join us at the hearth as we tell you about the Sabbat known as Samhain.

Pagan Writers Presents Samhain is the first anthology in the Pagan Writers Press Sabbat collection.

All proceeds from the sale of this anthology further the mission of the Pagan Writers Community, an organization that seeks to edu­cate, inspire, and pro­mote artists, authors, blog­gers, musi­cians, poets, and writers who follow alternative-faith spiritual and religious paths.

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Well let me get the bad out the way first. There are some words cut off and the separations between pages isn't always the best. I don't think there was enough time taken for the editing process.

That being said, I still loved it. It's a collection of articles, rituals, poems and short stories. I know 3 of the contributors from Facebook. There's our beloved Mrs. B of Confessions of a Soccer Mom who writes out a great article on making your own runes using nothing more than Pumpkin seeds and a marker. I just bought pumpkins on sale yesterday, I think I'll have to try this one. Anyone want a set?

Angelique Mroczka of The Balanced Witch and The Pagan Writers Community leads us through a guided meditation appropriate for this season.

And Kallan Kennedy of The Secret Life of the American Working Witch who shares with us a Samhain Chant called "Homage to My Ancestors."

It's like a collection of blog entries all tied together. There is a lot of writing about ancestors and altars, and an altar for ancestors. There are recipes, family traditions, ancient traditions. And as I mentioned before, poems and stories that feed off all of that. Definitely an entertaining read, and only 109 pages, so it's fast as well.

All profit on this book goes into the coin purse of The Pagan Writers Community - which seeks to help, inspire and promote artists of alternative faiths. Considering I can only think of 2 publishers that work with pagan material, this is a needed program.

Double Dexter

by Jeff Lindsay

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
Dexter Morgan is not your average serial killer. He enjoys his day job as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department . . . but he lives for his nighttime hobby of hunting other killers. Dexter is therefore not pleased to discover that someone is shadowing him, observing him, and copying his methods. Dexter is not one to tolerate displeasure . . . in fact, he has a knack for extricating himself from trouble in his own pleasurable way.

Like the previous five best-selling novels in the Dexter series, Double Dexter showcases the witty, macabre originality that has propelled Jeff Lindsay to international success. Double Dexter is raucously entertaining . . . full of smart suspense and dark laughs.

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Silly me - I had no idea Dexter was based on a series of books. My husband and I saw most of season one, when it aired on CBS. I don't think it came back because with all the censoring of language and gore, each episode was only 5 minutes long.

The cover, with the double blood-covered knives sets the creepy stage. I was actually surprised how creepy Dexter really is. In the series you get the feeling that he really is a decent guy with a serial killing bend. But no, he's a psychopath all the way. The only reason he follows the rules is to stay out of jail. The only person he really loves is his daughter. He married his wife basically because it helps him blend in more and she's a great cook. The kids are psycho too, and Dexter is taking them in hand to mold them to be like him. That's what creeps me out - instead of getting them help he is encouraging them. The baby girl is the only one with a chance of growing up normal.

The story is from Dexter's perspective, so it does leave all the other characters slightly 2 dimensional. It works in this case. The point being, Dexter doesn't know how to read other people, remember he's psychopathic?

In the beginning Dexter is "playing" with a guy who dresses up like a clown to prey on children. Dexter does pick people you don't mind him killing. The clown had been taking boys from the park near his hotel/apartment. When he was done with them, he disposed of their bodies nearby in a sewer tunnel. Dexter knew this was a bad egg. He's all set up and working in an abandoned house (isn't the foreclosure crisis grand?) when someone happens in and sees him. The witness leaves so fast that Dexter can't catch him. He then spends most of the book tracking this guy down.

Mostly I enjoyed the story. But if Dexter was really worried about this guy, he would have made it more of a priority to find him. Instead it was a spare time hobby, most nights spent doing nothing more than seeing his family. Although perhaps Rita's erratic behavior was puzzling him. Even though he doesn't get people, there is enough description that we readers can guess what is going on. Trust me, you'll know Rita's problem LONG before Dexter does.

Oh and Dexter's brother makes a comeback. He comes over every Friday for dinner and puts on the charm for Rita. He wants Dexter to join him. I thought Dexter had murdered his brother, but then again I can't really remember and the books and the TV show aren't exactly the same. Honestly I like this book better than the show. I may find Dexter extra creepy but it made for a tense, thrilling story.

So yes, if you like Dexter, then read this book. And as someone who has not read any other Dexter book, you can just pick it up and read it. You might get a little confused when he talks about the rules of Harry. Well when Dexter was little his brother and he witnessed the very brutal murder of their mother (parents?) and were locked up with the mess. Harry, a police officer on the case, adopted Dexter. He saw what Dexter was going to be, and shaped him to only go after bad guys and only after he had proof they were indeed guilty. So Dexter has his outlet but in a useful way...kinda...even Dexter realizes it's wrong he is powerless to stop himself. So I guess if you have to better to go after people who are truly wasting air?

Sunday Stealing: The Questions Galore Meme, Part 3

Cheers to all of us thieves!

41. What is a quote that you love? "You may not get hurt, but huff-puff you won't get loved either." It's from the 10th kingdom and it really speaks to my own inner trust issues.

42. Do you think of pure hate as something humanity created? Yes, I really do.

43. When was the last time you wanted to scream? While I was watching Life Unexpected (and yes the 2 seasons are streaming on Netflix), it's deliciously bad tv. A soap with less people. :)

44. Do you ever at times see the world in black and white? Not often, there is so much gray that I try really, really hard to not pass judgement.

45. Have you ever thought that cell phones are too obtrusive? Always...I still have one though. lol I just don't like when I see parents with their kids and the cell phone is glued to their ear and the kids are ignored, that really bothers me. Well I'm less bothered when it's a group or pair of older people. I just think that's rude. Could you imagine being on a date and the other person kept talking on their cell phone? I had one like that once and he told the person he wasn't doing anything important. OUCH!

46. In your life, where do you thank the rainbow will end? Am I on a rainbow? If so it really blows! It will probably end in the Bog of Stench.

47. What is something that you never want to do again? Oh I don't know, I've done so many disgusting things in my life. Ok at the top of that list is to clean up someone's vomit. Considering my oldest is 5 and the youngest is 3, that's probably a pipe dream. :)

48.When was the first time you realized the world was small? I don't think the world is small now. It's massive.

49. How you spend your time contemplating life’s mysteries? Far too much, too bad you can't get paid doing that.

50. Ever discuss your political beliefs with people? Pretty much just with my husband. I don't like to make waves with people and that leaves off religion and politics.

51. Do you care about the environment? Yes, in that I'd like there to be a planet for my kids to live on when they grow up.

52. What’s your motto for life? If you aren't hurting anyone, it's no one else's business.

53. Is progress destroying the beauty of the world? Yeah, I think that a lot. I live in a state that used to be all trees...and sometimes I try to imagine what it was like and it makes me sad.

54. Do you believe there is life somewhere else in the universe? Of course, a infinite area life has to have been repeated a million times over. Do I believe they are traveling here to give anal probes to farmers? No - that one I don't buy. lol

55. Would you like to rule a country? Good GOD no! I wouldn't want to be in charge of a township, much less an entire country. Look at the president, all the way back in your memory. Anytime something bad is going on, it's the presidents fault. People never seem to remember that the president only has so much control and most decisions are made in congress and the senate. But it's the president's fault. And if a new guy comes in and it doesn't get fixed fast enough, then people forget the last guy who they previously thought caused the mess.

56. Do you believe everything has a purpose? Not everything but sometimes it's surprising. Last week I nearly bought a Thomas costume for Ivan at Wal-Mart. He was fussy and I put it back and he was ok with that - and if you knew how obsessed with Thomas Ivan is you'd know how shocking that really is. Then a few days later we are at Merchandise Outlet and find a James costume for less money and Ivan was thrilled.

57. Is war ever for the best? I really don't think so. So many innocent lives are lost, people that could care less about politics and just want to live their lives and watch their families grow and change. Why do they have to pay the largest price while the guys making the decisions sit in their comfy homes and offices and never see the results of those decisions.

58. Could you kill anyone in defense of self or loved ones? I don't know, if someone was trying to hurt my boys I'm not sure how far I could go. I don't want to be in that situation, I can say that one for sure (yeah like anyone would!)

59. How do you react to people (Such as Governor Rick Perry) who don't believe global warming is really our fault? I don't, they aren't worth the attention or the breath it would take to react. The fact is when people are like that, no matter what you say it won't make a difference to them. They will dismiss anything you say, even any facts you present.

60. Does love conquer all? No, it doesn't. It is nice, though. It makes life bearable.

61. Is euthanasia morally acceptable? Depends, honestly look at what we do with our animals. If our beloved furry pet is at the end of their life and suffering, we put them down. But when a human is in the same position, then it's murder and illegal. I don't think that's quite right that we treat our pets better than our fellow human beings. Shouldn't it be the persons choice? And yes I do see the other side of people not being mentally capable of making that decision. Or bad guys committing murder, but those are things in any situation. If a person is going to kill themselves, they will make it stick. I just think they should be able to go peacefully if death really is the only outcome.

62. Is world peace impossible? Yes, people suck, the end.

63. Is pride a good or a bad thing? Depends, people being jackasses about it is when it is bad. A little self confidence never hurt anyone.

64.What do you think is the purpose of your life? I have no idea, but i hope I find it soon. Then again maybe it's just to be a mother to these little guys and a good wife to my husband, maybe I'm not making a huge mess of that.

65. Do you believe in karma? I don't know, I'd like to but far too often total dicks are getting everything they want. We try so hard to be good people, to work hard and it's never enough.