I live in the US and I don't get to hear much about what is going on around the world. Can you tell me how your country is doing?

Do you live in Brazil? Tell me about it. France just had elections, how was it? How is lovely Greece doing? Is it as bad as they say? Will Greece be the first country to pull out of the Euro? Dominican Republic is having elections on May 20. Are you there to tell me about it? How about Britain? I heard something about Austerity measures. Are you in Portugal, Germany, Russia, Puerto Rico?

Please keep it civil. I know nothing about party affiliations, I just rather hear from a local (you) then from a (perhaps) biased US reporter.

Take it away.

But now it's your turn campers!

Hello Campers!

This is my first CF so im a little excited / nervous 

So I turned 21 this week which I was kind of excited for and dreading.

because this means i'm a full on adult now which scares me a litte since I dont really feel like i'm a grown up yet.

dose that even make sense? 

So what I want to know is what you did for your 21st and what was your first drink? Any Suggstions for my first drink?

I was kind of a good girl in high school so I never drank and when I started college I never drank either I went to a fashion college so there wasnt really any raging keggers lol. 

Ok, so last week I was raging.

This week?

This week, I'm ranting.

...I'll be ranting under the fold...and I invite you to come~rant! rave! vent your spleen!!  Join me!!

You know how sometimes a fic that you love just fizzles out after 10 or 15 chapters?  Great plot, great characters, then suddenly it's boring, or the story takes an unrealistic turn and becomes unreadable?  Since my reading time is limited, I delete stories such as this from my FF Alerts.  But I have to admit that I feel a twinge of guilt, hoping that the author doesn't know that I've dropped them.

So here's my question, I know that authors can see alerts that have been added (can you see the name, too?), but can they also see who has dropped them?!

Does anyone else make these cuts and feel twinge?

So I'm sure we've all seen plenty of those highly amusing Twilight tattoo photos, but I just saw one I've never seen before, and I'm pretty sure it's the best of them all:

I have no words to describe my appalled fascination when I came across this. I've been trying to figure out who that guy in the front is supposed to be, because it sure ain't Edward Cullen. The closest I can come up with is if Steve Buscemi and a reptilian had a child, and that child grew up to play James Dean in a movie.

How about a campfire of hilarious and horrifying fan art and fan tattoos? Or really, anything that made you immediately wish for some brain bleach to get the image out of your head.

So, I just found out on Twitter today that The Secret Circle has been officially canceled, and there's now a campaign that I'm admittedly a part of going on to try and bring it back. If it worked for Community, then why can't it work for TSC? Honestly, I'd be fine if another network picked it up because TSC was just getting freaking bad***.

Anyway, while finding out about the unfortunate fate of one my favorite shows that I was more obsessed with than it's lead-in, TVD, I decided to find out what other shows met the same end.

Here's the article on Yahoo.

Just to name a few...

Shows that have been canceled:

Awake
Ringer
The Secret Circle
Alcatraz
The Finder
Harry's Law

Now, to make this interactive: did you watch any of these? Are there any shows you wish would get canceled? **coughcough**JerseyShore**coughcough** Any shows that have been gone a long time that you wish would come back?

Alcatraz isn't that big of a surprise, tbh, but I'm shocked that NBC would cancel "Awake," then again, a show that good never really makes it. I was only 2-3 episodes in (because I forget to watch and play catch-up on demand), but I was already hooked. It's not the first time NBC has canceled a show that I was absolutely in love with (even if it was because of the lead actor). I still haven't forgiven NBC for nixing Trauma.

But, anyway. I don't know. I should just stop watching TV, especially if it's a brand new show, because it almost always never ends well for the viewers.

Edit: I just found out that Make It or Break It has been canceled (or on the verge of it, anyway), too. If they end the show after this season, I can pretty much accept that because there's not a whole lot you can do after the Olympics... but if it's canceled because of ratings, then... well. I'll be a form of mad that can't be expressed on the front page. ;)

SO- I signed up for Pottermore.

I am Nettleheart6277, by the way. 

Please friend me.

I have no clue what to do.

How does one go about getting sorted into a house?

Can we fill this campfire up with tutorials for the Magically challenged?

Alrighty everyone. Grab your pitchforks and have at em!!!!

Grasping Darkness by KiyaRaven      has been hijacked by:

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8106756/1/bGrasping_b_bDarkness_b

who has also hijacked.....

Welcome Home Bella Swan! by RealityShowJunky

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8106774/1/Welcome_Home_Bella_Swan

This twilightering has posted a lot of fics today and I do not think any of them belong to her/him. Check out the others and let us know if you recognize them. And report away.

And if you haven't read either of the two fics mentioned, you should do so. They kick total butt.

Edit: The lovely Kambria has looked up the others and found their originals. It's the first post in this Campfire.

Edit x 2: Don't review...just report.

HE SHAVED!

Yummy!

He's home for his birthday! Isn't that so sweet?

Other news inside.

Get In!

Last weekend I got caught up in a show called Duck Dynasty.  It's about a family of "rednecks" (they call themselves that btw) that ended up uber rich bc their dad invented some major fabulous duck call.

The crazy thing?  Even though they look like like countrified redneck hicks and sound like Jeff Foxworthy, they're all extremely smart college educated men.

My favorite part?  Their dad, Phil Robertson, was an All American Quarterback in High School.  Went to LSU and was their first string quarterback.  Got drafted ahead of Terry Bradshaw in the NFL, but quit football bc it cut into his duck hunting season....seriously.

Jase is my favorite though.  You can tell there's a hot man hidden somewhere underneath that beard.  Plus, he's funny as hell.

“There is a thin line between the sound of a mallard hen’s quack and a human fart. The main differences are cadence and odor.” -- Jase Robertson

So campers have you seen this show?  If not, what are some shows that are out right (ones that we may not have heard of) now that are your faves and you think we should check out.

Aha, FFA time! so here I come, but adding a rec, since I love reccing.
I am slowly - very slowly - writing a new fic. AU based on Canon, because I am still bruised by the fact that very few people are prepared to read a story with no Cullens, like my latest one. Sigh.
So yeah, Edward, Bella and the usual suspects. But the Cullens will have to change their names and surnames at a certain point. Change seriously, not Masen, Brandon, Hale, Platt, Mc Carthy, nothing. Different names and surnames that would not lead enemies to them.
And I need suggestions - because I would still like that they had some hidden meaning that has significance without being a give away.
For instance, Could Bella be Mary? A common enough name, but with a connection to Isabella Marie. What surname? another bird? What?
And Edward? Antony cannot do, and I do dislike Tony . As Edward means warden, protector I could go with Warden and maybe with Alexander, as Alexander means protector in Greek. Other suggestions? I did not delve in his human family past enough to remember surnames that were used. If they are from fanfiction I'll aknowledge it.

Bella and Edward's are the ones I need urgently, but I'll appreciate other suggestions too.

Could Carlisle's surname be Church, or Pastor (Connected to his father?) and what name?

I'll be so grateful for any help

Now I have a rec for you. I rediscovered an author named Persephonesfolly. She used to write delightful Carlisle/Sherlok Holmes fics, so well researched historically. Now she is writing a story about young vampire Edward, 6 years after his change, still torn between bloodlust and decency, being in high school for the first time in his unlife (So, not bored yet). Teenagers in the '20s were still teenagers, and he has to deal with their thoughts and everything ... when there is a serial killer on the loose in their campus. I think that in it we will find an explanation for his upcoming vigilante years. Don't miss the story! It is a WIP, but she is updating frequently and is absolutely dependable.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7880894/1/Death_And_The_Vampire
 

free for all weekend

post what you want and feed the trees

happy mother's day to all the mother figures in the forest and beyond

go see the avengers again

if you haven't seen the avengers, tell me why you wanna hurt me like that

anyway, use this post to talk about how proud you are of my man joss

or post pics of your favorite avenger

or tell me what you're getting yo mama for mother's day because i still don't know what to get my own mother

i told my kids to get me an action figure of this guy fyt:

and yes, that's whose arm is my icon (but if you saw the avengers, you'd know that). i just LOVE a guy with great veins. i never know whether to bite them or start an IV in them.

I need some help getting the Dead Confederate band out of my head. I saw them play last Saturday and can't stop listening to their dark and moody goodness. So what I want is a fanfic playlist. Songs that go with the story you've written or a song that reminds you of one you read. I'll start with Fine Frenzy's Almost Lover which could be any New Moon story. I couldn't believe it wasn't on the movie's soundtrack. And I'll put in the Dead Confederate's song that has owned me for a week. Is it bad I've got a crush on the singer who looks like Barnabus Collins' little brother? 

My rec will be a short four chapter story by the author of The Red Eye, Badjujube. Everyone needs some comedy to start their weekend.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7065916/1/Persephone

Persephone »reviews
Evil vampire overlords deserve love too, right? A chthonic love story in four parts. Complete.
Twilight - Rated: T - English - Supernatural/Humor - Chapters: 4 - Words: 8,113 - Reviews: 138 - Updated: 6-25-11 - Published: 6-9-11 - Edward & Bella - Complete

My mood for the past 2 weeks-

Burn Burn like a wicker cabinet.....

Swallow my doubt, turn it inside out....

 **EDIT**-I forgot to make this interactive- so here goes

Show Me Your MOOD!!

Anyone seen this clip yet?

The whole cavalier attitude to sex is kinda disturbing, yet hot, to me. My brain might just melt down when this movie ends. I'm sure I'll be all WTF about it. What do you guys think?

(Also, I kinda wanna smack those who scream "fifty!" whenever anything Cosmopolis shows up. ARGH!)

Male feet.  Uck.  I just really, really don't like men's feet.  Baby boy feet - lovelovelove.  But once they start walking ... ugh.  This is probably not helped by the fact that an ex had long, skinny, clammy feet.  If one accidentally brushed up against me while sleeping it was like sleeping with ... warm, dead fish.  

All that said, I've been mulling over Rob's latest photoshoot and I realized that his feet are,erm, not too bad. Strangely attractive even.  Photographically, at any rate.  My youngest son crosses his toes just like that too. (Except my youngest son has hobbit feet). 

So tell me fellow campers -- what is your LEAST favorite part of a man's body?  (And what do you think of Edward's Rob's feet?

TONIGHT'S THE SEASON 3 FINALE!

NO MORE VAMPIRE DRAMA UNTIL THE FALL!!!!!

YOU KNOW THE DRILL CAMPERS... THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T WATCH THE SHOW AT 8 PM EST.

WELL IT'S THE FINALE GUYS!!!! 

GET IN HERE AND DISCUSS!

http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/05/10/joss-whedon-buffy-top-10-marathon/

Joss Whedon’s Buffy Top 10
 

“Prophecy Girl” (112)

Buffy proved herself beyond doubt in the season 1 finale when she closed the Hellmouth and dispatched the dreaded Master.

“Innocence” (214)
Just say no, kids. To sex with your vampire boyfriend. Buffy’s decision to give it up unlocked the evil in Angel and kick-started an amazing half of season 2…

 

“Becoming Part II” (222)
…that was capped off by this (literally) soul-destroying episode in which Buffy sent Angel to Hell. As he was sucked into the void, Willow’s spell restored his humanity, but it was too late. The Slayer fled Sunnydale to the strains of “Full of Grace,” and so began the onslaught of Sarah McLachlan weepers that continue to haunt us via sad puppy eyes to this day. (Heightened the next hour when “Angel” played during Dawson’s Creek‘s season 1 finale. Epic.)
 

“The Wish” (309)
The first appearance of Anya! And as a slutty, psychotic Willow! After seeing Xander and Willow kiss the episode before, Cordelia wishes Buffy had never come to Sunnydale. Obviously, this was a terrible, terrible idea.
 

“Doppelgangland” (316)
Obviously Whedon has a thing for vampy Willow. He wrote this episode specifically for her.
 

“Hush” (410)
The only one of Buffy’s eps to be nominated for a writing Emmy. And its most powerful moments featured barely a single word of dialogue. What did it have? Heart-snatching, voice-snatching ghouls called The Gentlemen and proof that the Scoobies didn’t need their snappy repartee to get down to business (though we were more than happy to have their one-liners back the next week).
 

“Restless” (422)
Whedon’s more experimental episodes, the season 4 finale skimped on the slaying in favor of surreality. Each of the main characters traveled through a dreamlike state that hinted at what was in store for season 5, most notably the introduction of Buffy’s suddenly-there sister Dawn.
 

“The Body” (516)
You’d think Buffy would be desensitized to death. Then it struck home. The shocking, non-violent death of Joyce Summer hit Buffy harder than anything else on the series. Paralyzed, she crumpled into a ball on the floor of their home. Heartbreaking.
 

“Once More With Feeling” (607)
I’ve got a theory, it was the bunnies that made this one of Whedon’s faves.
 

“Conversations with Dead People” (707)
Buffy, Dawn, and Willow are all visited by ghosts from their pasts… or are they? This real-time episode was a series first and got to the heart of Buffy’s deeply conflicted psychology in the final season.

So do you agree with Joss's choices? What are your fav Buffy episodes?

If you've never seen Buffy, then you are truely missing out of some great TV. So run, don't walk over to Netflix and watch the entire series.
 

What really happens when it comes down to a choice between your love and your parents?

I personally have a theory about it. That when one’s faced with such a choice, more often than not, a person will choose love over parents. Because if it were the other way round, we’d not be such a dominant specie (I mean, if humans always stayed with parents over staying with spouse). And even in animal world, it’s natural for the young ones to leave their parents behind and make their own family/life (though many humans don’t follow the set pattern of finding a mate, but that’s one of the things that makes us the weirdo of natural world, lol).

So, in that sense, I believe it’s sort of an evolutionary requisite that the kids leave the parents behind, at least for some species. It naturally doesn’t apply to animals like rats and others that live in colonies/large groups.

Now lest you think I’m going on a total kooky trip, I’ll give away my thread of thought here. I personally feel that in Twilight, Bella chose Edward over her parents because of the said choice. It was an either and or situation. If she stayed human, she’d have eventually died and thus, separated from Edward. And in becoming a vampire in order to stay with Edward, she lost the privilege of staying around other humans who knew her as a human, as the difference(between human Bella and vamp Bella) would be noticeable. Also, she’d not age at all, while others would- also noticeable.

Hence, she had to make that choice and leave her mother to her new family. Charlie only got in because he was closer to the truth (what with his friendship with Quileutes, etc).

So, what I’m getting at is, if given the a similar predicament, what would you have done?

Chose to remain human till death, or chose to become a vamp (immediately or after a while)?

PS- Bella had finally decided to stay human for a while in BD (before the vamp baby drama). Though I find her attitude about being older than Edward to be really annoying. A few years didn’t matter; it wasn’t decades, girl!

PPS- I really am no Darwin (or even a spec in natural sciences), but I'm just trying put forth a hypothetical situation and find a plausible solution with regards to Bella's unique situation.

(I'd personally make a DEVY's ANNOYING DISCUSSION POSTS tag if I could. lol)