I see your true colors shining through

Why is reality tv so insanely addictive?

I’ve always fought watching reality tv shows for some reason ("competition reality tv" like American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance are a whole nother* story. Entertainment Goldmine). *Mandy Word

Maybe it’s because I quickly become addicted to these train wreck reality shows, so it's healthier for me to avoid them in the first place.

But I have to admit I enjoy openly judging these people in blatant mockery and make righteously aghast comments, as if I would behave so differently in that situation.

The problem is I think I’m scared to actually see myself in that situation.

How would I act? Probably the exact same.

Would I look like such a snot? Absolutely.

Would I look like such an airhead? Yes, yes I would.

I think that people’s true, not-so-pretty colors come out in those types of situations. Another true indication of people’s colors is how people play games- any kind of game- board games, card games, mind games.

For the most part, I’m a pretty good sport when it comes to games. I like to win but I won’t gloat (unless you've been gloating for the past 2 hours and I've had too much wine, then I can get a bit surly- but really who can blame me when you're practically asking for it??). Obviously I hate to lose but I try my best not to pout or be a baby about it. So overall, it’s a good time had by all.

Until…..

Until we play for prizes.

When there’s a possibility of winning a prize, all bets are off and the talons appear.

My inner most embarrassing demon comes out and I want to win. I mean I really want to win so unfortunately I turn into a person I don’t want to be. Like I-could-jump-across-the-table-and-take-that-prize-right-outta-your-hand kinda person.

Ironic that I love playing games for prizes- like the Dice Game.

Oh how I love the Dice Game.

Oh how I hate who I become when I play the Dice Game.

My heart quickens as I anxiously fidget in my seat waiting for those precious dice to come back to me. I start to sweat with anticipation of getting a good prize and I feel the talons replace my fingernails if someone is gunning for the same gift I am.

I wish I could sit back, relax and just enjoy the game but for some reason I have an anticipation panic attack.

My husband is the exact opposite of me when playing the game because instead of going for the best gift, he goes for the worst gift. And by worst, I mean the obvious joke gifts like a hippopotamus plate or a lady-leg-lamp ornament.

His sisters and mother must either love seeing me freak out over this or they’re just plain mean hilarious because they’re the culprits for finding the most ugly/outrageous things for the game- which is probably why I love them so much.

And I guess it’s probably a good thing he does this as it diverts my anxiety about playing the game to him: “why the h*ll are you going for that???”

Luckily by the end of the game I’m always laughing over our spoils so Mission Accomplished: everyone had a good time and no one lost an arm.

But based on my Dice Game playing experiences, you will never see me on a reality tv show. I make a big enough ass out of myself every Christmas thank you very much.

I've Never....

Have you ever played the game "I've Never"? It's a drinking game that you all sit around and say "I've never ____fill in the blank______" and for those of you that HAVE done that, you have to drink.

Here's my own game of I've Never, where I'd have to drink at all of these things.

I've never gained so much belly weight so quickly that I rationalized that I must be pregnant- it's not due to fact that I practically just ate an entire Red Velvet Cake by myself. Nope, I must be pregnant. So yes, I went out and bought a test- simply because I was getting chubby at such an alarming rate. And no, I obviously was not pregnant.

I've never gotten a solo in a middle school choir concert, forgotten the words and swore right into the microphone for all my teachers and proud parents to hear.

I've never scored points in a volleyball game with my face.

I've never accidentally responded to a CLIENT email (thinking I was sending it to someone else) saying "this guy is such a pain in my fat a$$"

I've never had suspicious moles surgically removed and been told by no less than three doctors to stay out of the sun and still go outside without any sunscreen on.

I've never slurped down raw brownie mix as fast as I could because I didn't want my husband to catch me.

I've never called in sick to work because I had a "rash" (aka I'm hungover)

I've never spent the entire day doing nothing other than playing on facebook and Brick Breaker until 10 minutes before my husband is expected to get home and quickly unload the dishwasher and fold the laundry- just so it sounds like my day was at least semi-productive.

I've never read two whole books in one day.

I've never been terrified to start a family simply because I was such a horrible bratty teenager that I'm not sure I want one.

I've never been "that" girl to get way too drunk at the office boat day.

I've never gone totally lock-me-up-and-throw-away-the-key-because-I-wanna-fight-you crazy because someone sarcastically said "nice go-go boots" to me.

I've never intentionally served raw cookie dough balls at a party. Weird how I was the only one eating them.

I've never accidentally washed my husband's cell phone in the washing machine.

I've never been 14 years old with my friends, and a waiter asks us "what grade are you guys in ?" I quickly respond, "17th" because I wanted them to think we were 17 years old.

I've never gone running for the sole purpose of saying "I went running today."

I've never had an intense urge to pop out a baby right at this very second so I can update my facebook picture with a look-how-cute-my-baby-is picture.

I've never played Dizzy Bat and gotten so disoriented that I ran into a lake with all my clothes on.

I've never been 7 years old playing Helicopter Helicopter Over My Head with the neighbor kids and thought that if I swung him hard enough and let him go, he'd really fly. He didn't.

What a fun game! Now you try!

Too much of a good thing makes it not a good thing

I love my food. I mean, I really love my food. It's to the point of where pretty much every day, I fill my belly to maximum capacity so the food literally has to wait in my esophagus until there's more room in my belly for the food to enter.

I'll wake up feeling like a beached whale from last night's dinner because the remaining food that was waiting to hit my belly, finally makes it.

It's disgusting.

And yet strangely awesome at the same time because of how much yummy food I got to consume.

Tragic. I know but I just can't stop myself.

The other day I got a SEVERE craving for one of my favorite foods: Mac & Cheese. Even knowing the my husband probably wouldn't eat any, I decided to make it. A full glorious 9x13 pan of deliciousness.

The first night was heaven. I ate myself silly.

The second day, it was still awesome.

It's now been 5 days and I'm still eating it and I practically cringe when I open my refrigerator and see my 9x13 pan staring back at me.

Ugh.

Don't get me wrong, it's still awesome but one can only have so much calorie ladened awesomeness before even the most devote food lover, like myself, needs to call it quits.

So here it is, knock yourself out. The best mac & cheese recipe you'll ever try- just be sure to have someone around to share it with you because a 9x13 pan will knock you on your ass.

Four Cheese Macaroni
1 16oz pkg Rotelle noodles
9T butter
½ C shredded Muenster cheese
½ C shredded Cheddar
½ C shredded sharp Cheddar
½ C shredded Monterey Jack
1 ½ C Half and Half (plus maybe ½ c. more)
8oz. Velveeta
2 eggs, beaten
1/4t salt
1/8t pepper
1/2lb diced bacon, cooked
Panko (similar to breadcrumbs)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add pasta, cook 8-10minutes or until al dente. Drain pasta and return to pot. In a small saucepan, melt 8T butter, stir into the macaroni.

In a large bowl, combine Muenster, mild and sharp cheddar cheeses and Monterey Jack cheese....mix well.

Add the half and half, 1 1/2 cups of cheese mixture, cubed processed cheese food, and eggs to macaroni; mix together and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a lightly greased deep 2 1/2 quart casserole dish (or 9x13 pan). Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese mixture, Panko/breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon of butter.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges.

Technology has made me impatient

There are some really awesome things about technology and there are some things that I believe are causing the decay of society. The good things FAR out-weigh the bad but they sometimes go hand in hand.

This weekend I spent some quality time shopping online which is one of my favorite things about technology: shopping without leaving my couch.

It was time to replace the ipod I so mercilessly threw off the deck a couple of weeks ago so we headed to our local money suck Target to check them out. Naturally he wants the biggest and the best but yikes the biggest and the best are expensive!

I love my online shopping so I suggest we look online before purchasing it. Since my husband isn't an online shopper he scoffs at the idea but decides to avoid an argument go along with me anyway.

After the start of an ulcer bidding on several different eBay auctions (which by the way is the BEST website out there in my opinion) we win the one he wants. Not only is it the one he wants, it also comes with a screen protector and a case and is still $50 less expensive than a regular store.

SCORE! Mark a win for technology! And one for the thrifty wife but who's counting?....besides me.

Years ago, it would have taken weeks of going from store to store comparing sales but not today my friend. Today is the Information Age. If we want to know something all we need to know is how to type and BAM your answer magically appears in front of you!

As you know, I've been whining wanting a new couch so I turned to the local, less civilized version of eBay's handicapped cousin, craigslist. Not that I have anything against craigslist or I'm dissing it, I've just become accustomed to eBay's setup where you can see the pictures of all the items for sale on one screen verses going into each entry separately.

This is where technology has made me impatient. 10 years ago craigslist would've seemed like a revelation but now it's just frustrating. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm spoiled (I bet you're REALLY shocked to learn that about me right?!?).

I want to redesign the entire craigslist site to be more accommodating...for me.

And I want to do it now.

Faster....... I'm waiting craigslist.....

But I digress onto craigslist's faults because it truly is a pretty awesome concept: I'll sell you my crap from the privacy of each of our couches, you just need to come pick it up.

Screw garage sales. Craigslist is the garage sale of the future.

You can buy/sell anything on there! I hear you can even buy/sell yourself on there (this is where the "decay of society" comes in. Come on peeps you gotta go and corrupt my online garage sale site?!? Shame on you.)

But I clicked on hundred different craigslist entries (err, shake my fist at you craigslist for not posting all pics on one screen like my beloved eBay does) and suddenly I find my couch! Well, not MY couch- not yet anyway, but it's the couch we want! And it's only $275!

Yes please! I want! I want!

So I email the person immediately and it's now been a gut wrenching 2 days. This is where the "impatient" thing comes from.

I want it and I want it now!

What do you mean you don't have your email forwarded to your Blackberry for immediate response?

What do you mean you only check your email once every couple of days?

Even though technology is a wonderful thing, I believe it's also the cause of the fake ulcer that's forming in my belly from all the waiting for eBay auctions to close, waiting for people to return my emails, and don't even get me started on anyone that has dial-up internet- shoot me now before I sit down at your computer because it ain't gonna end pretty.

Brainwaves are important. I wish I could get mine to work.

I've been thinking that it might be a good idea for me to get an EEG to measure my brain waves. Not that I think there's anything seriously medically wrong with me but I think my brain activity would actually be quite an interesting puzzle for the medical world.

This is what I remember from my high school biology class, so if I'm wrong with how the brain actually works then so be it.
I picture a normal brain to be firing the little neurons back and forth like a skilled volleyball team, from one synapse to the other- back and forth, back and forth, causing people to take the logical thoughts they're having and verbally communicate them like a well oiled machine.

When I picture what MY brain looks like, it's more like a swirling vortex of the rapid-succession firing of neurons- but only a fraction of those neurons are actually being caught so there are older, missed neurons floating around the atmosphere clouding up the space. Those neurons are mixed with tidal waves of powerful emotions that numb smaller neurons that handle common sense things.

This makes me think that it's time to have a little chat with my Catcher Synapse about his job performance. A Mandy Moment is when he's taking a coffee break but there seem to be more and more missed neurons that's he's supposed to be catching even when he's not on one of his illicit coffee breaks.

Maybe it's lack of job satisfaction? Maybe he's overworked from catching the completely random neurons that he has to string together to make one coherent thought? Hmm, maybe that's it because that would be exhausting......

Whatever the reason is he's definitely letting tons of neurons fly by. The problem with that is the missed neurons continue to float in the swirling vortex of my brain until they're either caught at a much later and very random point, or they slowly die off.

Either way, there's a problem.

But how do I motivate him to do better? It's not like I can give him any more vacation time than he already uses- that's for sure! Coffee seems to be a good motivator for him in the mornings but it's not really something I'd like to rely on for forever. I mean, before I know it, Catcher Synapse will be so lazy and sluggish that I won't be able to think clearly enough to brush my teeth without the help of coffee.

I don't know how to fix him but I've had a recent string of poorly articulated conversations which has really put a thorn in my side and has caused some serious havoc. I was a communication major for goodness sakes! How can I be communicating so poorly that I'm on the verge of needing to hire an interpreter?!

Luckily, I have a friend that is already acting as my interpreter, she's saved my arse on countless occasions by piping up and saying "what Mandy is saying is....." when the people around me aren't understanding. It's crazy because she hears and understands me but literally no one else does and it's not their fault, it's MINE. I'm my own worst communication enemy so the next time I say something that sounds like it's a partial thought, please forgive me and ask Holli to translate.

What is a "Mandy Moment"?

I'm lucky enough to have the same core group of friends that I've had since high school. They are truly the best. They've put up with a LOT of drama and by “drama” I mean full out crazy biatch moments from me.

But part of my "charm" (I'm writing the blog so I can call it whatever I want) is that occasionally, I have these temporary and complete lapses of brain-activity so I tend to say some pretty downright stupid quirky things, which will keep them chuckling at my expense for years.

They have actually assigned a title to what happens during one of these lapses: "a Mandy Moment."

My brain shuts off but my mouth keeps going, spewing out the most ridiculous things. And don't worry, stay tuned to the blog because when I get writers block for an entry, I will occasionally pepper in some real life examples of these Mandy Moments so you can SEE what I'm talking about. But first, here are two confirmations that the Mandy Moment phenomenon exists:

- I used to worked for a small printing company. Three years after I stopped working there, I was at a wedding and my old boss comes up to me and says "Mandy! It's so good to see you! Just last week Linda said I had a Mandy Moment and we thought of you!"

....uh.....

Let me clarify: the fact that my friends coined the term "Mandy Moment" was not a universally known fact. And I was intimidated by my boss so I would've never actually told him about my brain-lapse tendency.

Do you realize what this means?

This means that he not only figured it out on his own, but also {thought he} coined a name for it!

And still uses it THREE years later!

My boss! Using the term "Mandy Moment" to describe a moment where he did something stupid.

Thank you, Mr. Boss Man. Let me go hide in my hole now.

The second proof is a little more understandable since it's from the people I love and trust the most: my friends.

- For my wedding, one of my besties threw me a wonderful bridal shower.

Unbeknownst to me, she asked all in attendance to come up with a list of their FAVORITE Mandy Moments- not just an example- no, there are far too many for just an example- oh no, a LIST of their FAVORITE moments.

See where I'm going here? There are probably like hundreds out there but they had to narrow it down to just their favorites.

And over the past 20 years they've been able to come up with quite a list, which is where my random Mandy Moment entries will come from. Actual stories that my friends decided to put on paper as a wedding present to me saying "see Mandy, even though because you do all these stupid endearing things, we still love you."

Thanks friends.

So here it is, entry #1 for Mandy Moments:
As high schoolers we used to spent countless nights at the local Baker's Square being obnoxious with all of our giggling and blowing the straw wrapper darts as respectable, young girls. I decided to order Apple Pie a la Mode and was super pumped for some delicious apple pie. When the pie comes, I look down and I can still remember the confusion and disappointment and say "I didn't order ice cream on this.

A la mode.

Apparently I hadn't gotten the memo that "a la mode" meant ice cream.

Ta da! Mandy Moment.

Guilt is the fastest vehicle for self loathing

I was having the most pleasant Saturday afternoon today- I finished a good book and went to the Monticello Art in the Park fair which is totally my kinda thing, and then BAM I feel like a horrible, irresponsible JERK.

Let me back up.

My husband spoils me pretty regularly with little surprises and treats from the store. Just little things he knows I'd enjoy- like bringing me home my favorite candy bar or a new cookie that he thinks I'd like.

So today when I found something that I thought he'd like, I was feeling pretty good about myself. I'm FINALLY gonna score some brownie points to try to even up the field. I found this fancy-schmancy Sweet Hot Mustard that's won all sorts of awards, so I think "awesome, he's totally gonna love this!"

I decide that brats would be a good dinner choice for this new gourmet mustard, so step outside to check the grilling weather.

I look down from my 2nd story deck and see on the rocks below his mp3 player, smashed.

First thoughts:
How irresponsible of him to drop it off the deck!! I can't believe he was so careless! How did it get down there! Well, if he's not going to be responsible with his stuff than he just doesn't get to have nice things.

The screen is broken, so it's pretty much useless. By now, the initial thought of anger has worn off because I know how much he enjoys his music, so I'm starting to feel bad for him.

I call him to tell him what I've discovered and we're both perplexed as to how it got down there so we walk through it:

He had it when we rode our bikes to the beach last weekend but that was the last time he used it.

What happened since then to cause it to fall off the deck?

We got home from the beach, I empty out the beach bag haphazardly and then I took it outside to shake out the sand.

So how did he drop it down there??

Wait, the last time he touched it was putting it in the beach bag.

I shook out the beach bag, over the railing of the deck.

GASP!

It.was.me.

My gut reaction is to play innocent, deny that it's my fault maybe he won't connect the dots to realize that it IS my fault.

Instead, I do the painful grown-up thing and confess: it was me and I'm sorry! I don't know how I missed it when I was cleaning out the bag, but I must've and I'm sorry!

His response: "that's okay. It happens."

Uh, pretty sure I'd be screaming my head off at him if the situations were reversed- yep, that's just a cold hard fact, I'd never let him forget it. Then I'd demand that he take me to the store so I can get a newer, better one and I'd still be mad at him. And all he says it's "it's okay" and "it happens"?!?

So now, not only do I feel guilty about breaking his mp3 player and losing all the music he put on there, I now have to feel guilty at how easily he took it in stride.

Which makes me feel even worse!

I guess there's a lesson to be learned in all this: I shouldn't be too hard on people when accidents happen because they probably feel guilty enough about it.

But for now, I'm stewing with guilt. Maybe tomorrow I'll learn the lesson.

What was I SUPPOSED to do with a bowl full of brownie mix?!?

I'm lucky enough to work in a business where vendors pretty much try to buy us with treats, candy, trinkets, tickets, and frosted brownies. Yep, brownies.

Now these brownies are not like any brownie you've ever tried- these are super brownies. Like the-best-damn-brownies-you'll-ever-eat super brownies.

So recently when I was put in charge of making frosted brownies for my nephew's confirmation I knew I had to try to make these super brownies.

I was shameless enough to email the vendor to ask his wife for the recipe. Luckily she divulged (I'll be forever grateful for her for that) and I was shocked to learn that the super brownies aren't actually all that super at all- it's the frosting that makes it super. Super brownie is actually from a box! A boxed brownie! *

So I go to the store, get all the ingredients for these super brownies, come home and want to quickly make them so my husband and I could enjoy the rest of the evening together.

He was sitting at the table, watching me make these super brownies, waiting for me to be done. Naturally, I'm chatting away while throwing all the ingredients into the bowl.

Add brownie mix

Add eggs

Add oil

Add 1 1/4 cup water

I look at the box.

The box reads add 1/4 cup water.

Clearly, I've misread this because I've just added 1 cup plus 1/4 cup, so read again:
Add 1/4 cup water.

@%$#@#

I have a bowl full of brownie mix with a whole cup too much water! I practically burst into tears because I've just ruined super brownies.

Luckily my husband has many amazing qualities, one of them is coming to my rescue when I have "a moment" so he tells me to sit down and get a glass of wine while he goes to the store to get me a new box.

I watch him back down the driveway, I take deep breaths to calm myself as I stand in front of the watery brownie mix. I look down at my fingers and see mix on my hand so I watch him drive away and taste the mix on finger.

that.is.fantastic!

I rushed to get a spoon out to try the batter.

Oh that's good.

I know how embarrassed I should be since I am "dieting" and all, but I only have ten minutes before he gets back with the new mix, so I do what any weak dieter would do:

I rush to get a bigger spoon.

I'm standing in my kitchen, slurping away watery brownie mix as fast as I can knowing that by the time he gets back I need to resume my sad-face since I just ruined a box of brownies but really I'm ecstatic that I literally have an entire BOWL of brownie mix that I can eat all to myself!!!

Within minutes I feel like vomiting because I've eaten 1/2 the bowl of raw brownie mix and yet I start to wonder if I should put the rest of the ruined brownie mix in a tupperware to save it for a snack later??

Don't worry. I didn't because my husband would rip on me for the next 3 years and tell everyone we know that I did it on purpose so I could eat a whole batch of raw brownies, I do have some self control.

And because I know that you're all dying to try these super brownies I, too, will divulge the recipe as long as you promise to keep reading my blog.

.......Do you promise?

Ok, you promised and I pretty much OWN you now that you know I occasionally will add wonderful recipes:

Brownies
Start with Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate brownie mix, which can be found at Costco

*I could only find the Ghirardelli Double Chocolate brownie mix at the store and it was not the same level of awesome, so find a friend with a Costco membership and buddy up to them

Frosting (will frost a 9x13 pan)

In a large bowl sift together powdered pure cane sugar (approx. 1/3 bag or tad more from 2lb. bag) with approx. 3 to 4 large Tbls. Droste` (dutch) baking chocolate or other high quality chocolate baking powder and very small pinch of salt.

To this, add 1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick) with 2 tsp vanilla extract and approx. 1/4 cup heavy cream.

Stir this all together. If it is too stiff to spread, add a few more drops of cream. If it's too thin, add a little bit more sifted powdered sugar until spreadable thickness.

Then beat it by hand until it has a smooth creamy consistency. It should taste like a piece of fudge but be spreadable.

Now call Mandy and invite her over for some Brownie Quality Control (you didn't know that was my other official job title, did ya?)

An appointment with a vegetable peeler

When it comes to calling customer service, I try to be as personable as possible. I’m in customer service and I know how douchy difficult people can be so I am pretty cooperative when calling in.

But when it comes to scheduling an appointment, I fight. I mean, I really fight it. I just don’t want to do it. And if I do have to schedule one, I want to schedule it for a half hour from this very second or the very next afternoon at the absolute latest.

The funny thing is, my social calendar is generally completely bare.

But that’s not the point now is it?

Nope.

I want to do it when I want to do it- which happens to be at this very moment because I’m thinking about it right now and I don't want to have to think about it in 3 weeks when you can get me in.

Nope, NOW.

I have no idea where my intense dislike for appointments comes from, maybe I’ve been burned too many times where I’ve made an appointment for a future date and then I’ve had to miss out on something fun/better because of it?

I don’t know.

What I do know is, I don’t want to schedule an appointment for something mundane, only reasonable things- like seeing a dentist (but really, he’s booked for the next 3 months?? I think not, look again...I was thinking like next Tuesday- make it happen).

I’ve recently started going to a new place for pedicures. The place is great, they do a great job and it’s owned by a friend of a friend of mine so I feel better about supporting her but.... I need to schedule an appointment.

An appointment for a pedicure.

Um, what? That’s not really my flow, yo.

I’m more of a walk-in kinda girl but I can’t be if I continue to go there. And after 2 pedicures, it already feels suffocating (yep, an appointment for a pedi suffocates me, deal with it).

However, apparently I've lived under a rock for the first 29 years of my life or I'm just too cheap to get pedicures often whatevs, but she did this crazy vegetable peeler thingy to my feet and magically transformed them into silk. SILK I tell you.

Do you know what device I'm talking about?

I had no idea what she was asking me when she asked me if I was okay with her doing it, so I just shrugged my shoulders because I didn't want to look like a total idiot.

The next thing I know, she's holding my foot in the air and hacking away at it like a potato. A POTATO!!!

I was waiting for the blood to start spewing all over, but instead beautiful little curls of white chocolate started falling.

And of course, I'm mesmerized by the curls of white chocolate. Thinking "oh those little white chocolate curls are so pretty. They looks like they belong on a cake."

......Wait......

Where did the curls of white chocolate come from?

WHAT?! That's from my feet?

Panic mode sets it.

I started looking around for help but no one is looking so I have no choice but to act like I'm totally okay with her scalping the bottom of my feet.

The pedicure ends and I can't wait to look at the bottom of my feet to see what the hell she did to me but I then realize just how soft they are. Let me tell you honey my feet were like butter. Soft, silky butter.

Seriously, by the end of the day, I was like one drink away from making out with my own feet- they were so soft.

So now instead of looking at the polish of my french pedi (the only way to go), I'm more concerned with the bottom of my feet and can't wait for her to do this magical and yet oh so disgusting vegetable peeler thing.

Suddenly scheduling an appointment doesn't seem so bad when silk feet is the end result.

Twilight of my life....or should I say Twlight IS my life?

Ok so in honor of the movie release, this is the one time I'll do a truly geeked-out blog about my one obsession which I probably should be more embarrassed than I am about: Twilight.

Oh yeah baby, you know it.

So the third of FIVE movies was just released and let me tell you: it's awesome!

In the past couple of years I've become an avid reader and when my friend suggested that I read Twilight I really fought it. I mean a vampire book? Not really my thing.

Oh, but shame on me by judging a book on it's cover because it IS my thing! In fact, it's quickly become my obsession but don't worry I still refuse to call myself a "twi-hard" (which is what other twilight freaks are calling themselves).

I don't know what it is about this series but anytime I start talking to someone about it I'm literally stuffing down my excitement because if I could show my true excitement, I'd be an adult that's just piddled on the floor.

It's like a 4 year old being told that she can see Mickey Mouse, eat a whole chocolate cake by herself, get a pony for Christmas AND grow up to be a princess all at once. THAT'S how excited I get, so of course a little piddling would be excusable.

If you haven't read the books, stop fighting it and do it. Just pick up the damn books, put your vampire prejudice away, read them and then you'll thank me in about 3 days which is about how fast you'll read the first book because it's too darn good to put down.

So back to the movie...don't worry there are no spoilers here more like theatrical highlights
1. Edward is amazingly hot. He's actually hotter in this movie than in the other two and I truly wouldn't have thought that possible. Definitely on my Freebie List!

2. This is probably going to be one of my favorite movies of all time- right up there with Pride & Prejudice and I cannot wait for it to come out on DVD!

3. The producers of the movie need to give the makeup and costume artists a raise- they did SUCH a good job. Because my complexion sucks I tend to look for blemishes on movie stars when they have extreme close ups (judge all you want), and either Bella has never had a zit in her life or the makeup crew was amazing.

I guess I don't want to go into too much detail but trust me, it was GREAT. I'm almost ready to say that it's better than the first two COMBINED. Yep, you heard me. I said it.

Oh and if you haven't heard: some of the cast members of Twilight will be HERE in Minnesota Saturday/Sunday dropping into unexpecting movie goers at AMC Southdale, AMC Roseville, and Showplace ICON in St. Louis Park. They didn't release who was coming but they said it's not Edward, Jacob or Bella.

I may be reconsidering my weekend plans so I can go some see someone that's actually been in the same room as my beloved Edward! Yep, I'm a little psycho- at least I can admit it right?! And who wouldn't want to see one of these beautiful people?!?