She might be new to the Forest, but Ranger Betty White is AWESOME.

She has a few things to say.

"Hey, Campers! Read the rules, okay?  D'you think we have rules just to hear ourselves TYPE?"

Also:

"JandCo told me Robert Pattinson was HOT. I'm also thinking his co-star-slash-girlfriend..."

"Slash?"

"Not THAT kind of slash!" *smack*  "Anyway, she's hot, too. I need to work with them."

Also, "It's MONDAY.  Anyone else hung over or is it just me?"

What she said.

Anyone hung over this morning? I swear I'm not.

If you have any weekend escapades, come Tell Ranger Betty!

I just finished 'Surviving Bella' and I was wondering if anyone knows if there's a sequel??

Ok, Think this may be my first campfire after being here for about 2 years...guess we should all be brave enough to try new things sometime, right?  So here I go..I have 2 fics to recommend. I will warn, both are very angsty, but really well written, update frequently, with very few reviews.

They are

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7730033/1/?A_Different_Kind_of_Pain by Sparkling Wand-Summary: Edward is everything Bella ever dreamed of & more but he has one major flaw. He's Bella's best friend's boyfriend. Now she has to decide if pursuing her feelings for him is worth the risk of losing her friendship or suffer with a different kind of pain

and http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7557706/1/What_I_Wished_For by Thimbles-Summary: Bella and Jacob's marriage isn't what either anticipated. Bella's battling depression and seeks escape in the music she surrounds herself. When she meets her favourite artist, Edward Cullen, the pair strike up an instant friendship. AH. BxJ, eventual BxE

Sorry if I should have waited for the weekly rec post-hope you give them a try!

hey everyone!

so i thought im gonna be really brave and write an introductory campfire....but then i realised there is tinsy problem...i dint know wht to write as introduction....i gues being a law grad im just so used to of always having a draft tht i cn chart up...so like a good student i did research...i found tht thrs absolutely no pattern....so here it goes..

hi...im sri....i love fanfiction much more than the original series and im lost in this world!!!!

oh n i also need a fic rec...

i need a fic whr bella is super over protective MAMA BEAR on her/edward's kid(s)....or evn if esme is mama bear...i'd love to read 'em...

so please suggest something...

and thanks to rainygirl1978 im going to add a fic rec as an example...

 Such Great Heights » by SydneyAlice
Edward Cullen is in desperate need of a nanny after his wife walks out on him and their five-year-old son. Bella Swan is a teacher with no job prospects. Can she find her true place in the world while helping father and son overcome their pain? AH
Twilight - Fiction Rated: M - English - Romance/Family - Chapters: 32 - Words: 117,037 - Reviews: 8558 - Updated: 7-3-10 - Published: 1-10-10 - - Bella/Edward - Complete

 The Path We Choose » by les16 
Edward is a 32 single father of 7 year old twins Maddie and Masen. After literally crashing into Bella in Central Park, he realizes everything he has been missing in his life. Is Bella really what he has been looking for or is she hiding who she truly is
Twilight - Fiction Rated: M - English - Romance/Drama - Chapters: 50 - Words: 644,986 - Reviews: 3466 - Updated: 6-12-11 - Published: 4-7-10 - - Bella/Edward - Complete

Chapter 37: Bait and Switch

We're down to the wire now, people! Just one chapter left and possibly an epilogue.

I still have NO IDEA what's going on.

So lettuce discuss this current chapter.

Anymore theories?

As I sat down to write this a story came through my RSS feed that is relevant to this week’s column. One of my favorite authors, John Scalzi, made a post on his blog Whatever titled Writer, Professional, Good. In it he discusses the definition of being a writer vs. being a professional writer vs. being a good writer.

Definitions are, by trade, important to me. For example, there’s a huge difference between a carnivorous forest and a coniferous one. Or loose/lose, their/they’re, too/to, etc. Likewise, I think it’s important to differentiate between different types of writers, especially nowadays with self-publishing.

Yes, I’m one of those: a dinosaur looking at my computer screen and feeling nostalgic about the ‘good old days’ of typewriters and encyclopedias. Okay, maybe not the encyclopedias. God bless the internet when it comes to research. What I do miss though is being able to have faith in someone when they call themselves an author which brings me to the point of this piece, something I like to call 'the myth of the published author’.

*rest of column in a comment
 

I need to do a serious story pimpage right now, because this story is simply not getting enough love for how incredible it is. She updates and I go running. The amount of emotion this story evokes in me is unique. Please, if you feel so inclined, go check it out.

Blurbaaage:

Bella and Jacob's marriage isn't what either anticipated. Bella's battling depression and seeks escape in the music she surrounds herself. When she meets her favourite artist, Edward Cullen, the pair strike up an instant friendship. AH. BxJ, eventual BxE.

Story link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7557706/1/What_I_Wished_For

So I can't seem to focus on anything.  I'm supposed to be writing content for webpages - my little on the side job - but my brain is bouncing around like a pinball machine.  And I got to thinking about this one guy I knew before I got married and the disaster of a non-relationship that we had.  

Come on in to read my disaster and share your own!  If you can't laugh over these things, then what good are they? :D

This campfire was approved by jandco. :)

Water Landing by Camoozle updated today and I wanna talk about it with people (excluding the ones in my head), so come in here with me and discuss kthanxbai.

If you haven't read it yet, do that first. Trust me. And on that note, after you read it, review it, because this fic is embarrassingly under reviewed. :) Spoilers inside, of course.

Hooked on chicken nuggets: Girl, 17, who has eaten nothing else since age TWO rushed to hospital after collapsing
*Stacey Irvine has breathing problems and anaemia
*Only other food she eats regularly are fries
*But despite warnings cannot resist McDonald's treats

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2092071/Stacey-Irvine-17-collapses-eating-McDonalds-chicken-nuggets-age-2.html
 

Now I get that kids can be picky; I was a picky eater growing up; but at what point does the parent become an enabler. Me personally, I wonder what the mother was thinking after day three of feeding her two year old the same greasy thing. Also, after several months of eatting this way, why didn't the mother take her child to see a specialist?

The article implies that the mother isn't so much to blame as she has two other children who eat normally, but to me this only implies that those kids weren't picky.

I would somewhat understand this situation if the child were in some way mentally disabled, but that isn't the case here.

I saw an interesting point raised by one of the posters (on parent cafe I think it was) that suggested small children will put anything, including poop, in their mouths. It's the natural way that babies test things. With this in mind, how is it possible that this child never even tried a fruit or vegetable?

What are your thoughts ladies?

I know I have another cf somewhere below, but I need to make a presentation to young children concerning some countries, and I'd rather make it interesting, yk, not the stereotypical flag, anthem, population whatever things otherwise they'll be reading magazines during the presentation just like I was doing when I was in school

So, any interesting facts and pictures, even sound files, from people who know more about these countries will be highly appreciated:

Romania

Bulgaria

Russia

Georgia

Lithuania

Poland

Iraq/Palaistine

Belarus

Thanks :)

I don’t understand – why is the phrase “if you think [whatever it is being considered, which is implied to be wrong], you’ve got another THING coming?” Why would it be another “thing” and not “think.” Shouldn’t it be: “you’ve got another THINK coming”?

Consider: “Oh, you think so, do you? Well, think again.” It’s not, “well, thing again” – so, why is it “you’ve got another thing coming” instead of “you’ve got another think coming”?

This is something that has bothered and bewildered me for a long time. When I see this in fiction, my brain goes “wait a moment – think, not thing” and it kind of takes me out of the story (OK, not really, but I do mentally stop, blink, change it to “think” and then move on).

Is the world wrong, or am I?

Tell me what you THINK.

Do you agree? Or convince me I’m wrong, in such a way that I have a “EUREKA!” moment, and think “well, of COURSE it should be ‘thing’ and not ‘think’. What was I THINKING?”

And that Judas Priest had it right all along.

http://youtu.be/2RRoCkncvYo

(I would have embedded the actual video, but can't figure out how to do that.)

Are there any phrases that get your goat?

Rec FYT:
String Theory by theladyingrey42
"Eleven dimensions. Infinite parallel realities. And in all of them, I love her." Muppets, math, and physicists falling in love. Fluff and eventual lemons. ExB, AH.
Twilight - Rated: M - English - Romance - Chapters: 53 - Words: 81,024 - Reviews: 7316 - Updated: 1-27-12 - Published: 11-27-11 - Edward & Bella - Complete

I just finished this and now I want to be a scientist.

Hey ladies, how's it going?  The end of Jan is coming upon us....you still holding strong?

Homework:  What work out are you doing that you are loving right now?  What should us other ADF's try out?

24/7 Support - ADF Fit Club LJ Community
 

Also its never too late to join in. ; )

As avid readers and writers, I'm sure all of us have our own stock pile of amazing quotes.

What's your favorite quote(s)?

Whether they be taken from fanfiction, books, television, or movies, feel free to post them here.

(Quotes about entering fantasy worlds or the division between fantasy and reality would be especially appreciated.  I'm working on a painting that needs a good quote, but after searching through my own stock pile, I've noticed that many of my favorites have conveniently disappeared... grumble)

Maybe I should just write my own...

Here's one of my favorites:

"If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."
-Nietzsche

Chapter 18: Music and Life Mingle

Soooo good

Maybe I could have found a better pic, but 1. I gotta go try to sleep and 2. Really, The Jaw. Even in that scene Kristen couldn't keep her hands off

THAT'S RIGHT.

I DECLARE A PICTURE POST.

THAT IS ALSO AN ALL CAPS POST.

SHOW ME YOUR GORGEOUS FACES.

HELL, SHOW ME YOUR PETS. I LOVE PETS.

AND YOU.

ALL OF YOU.

AND TALKING IN ALL CAPS.

SO LET'S DO ALL OF THEM.

BECAUSE TONIGHT IS A NIGHT FOR FEELING AWESOME ABOUT YOURSELF!

COME ON IN AND WORK IT!

I want to talk about this story.  

Last night I went to a friend's house where we had a girl's movie night and we watched the movie, The Help.  I have not read the book yet, though I am going to rectify this situation here pretty quickly.  

If you are not familiar with the story, it is about a young white girl/woman in early 1960's Mississippi who decides she wants to interview and chronicle the lives of the black maids from their perspective.  These African American maids raise the white children and then the white children grow up to become their employers.  It is such an engrossing story, I was completely wrapped up in it.  It spoke to me on many levels: it was at once heartbreaking, heartwarming, inspiring, humorous, etc.  It was particularly fascinating (read heartbreaking and meaningful) to me as my grandmother grew up in Virginia and was raised by a black nanny, whom she loved dearly.  I have to admit that I've always wondered just how it really was for her nanny as well as my grandmother and her mother and this movie offered a lot of insight.

Also, let's talk about the acting.  Because wow.  I was floored by the performances.  I had never seen Emma Stone (Skeeter) in anything before and I was really impressed.  Her face was so expressive.  Octavia Spencer (Minny Jackson) is fabulous.  She also has this amazingly expressive face that conveys so much.  Cicily Tyson (Constantine) broke my heart.  Also, Bryce Dallas Howard (Hilly) is in this.  I was not all that thrilled with her role in Eclipse - but ehh, ya kno.  But in this?  She is evil perfection.  She nailed her performance and the viewer really hates her.  I could go on and on over the performances.  Viola Davis (Aibileen), Jessica Chastain (Celia), Allison Janney (Charlotte - Skeeter's mom), and Sissy Spacek??? (omigosh, she's incredible as Missus Walters, loved her.)

Come in and talk to me about this movie/book.  I borrowed the movie from my friend and my husband and I are going to watch it together tonight and I can't wait.  It's so, so good.  Amazing.  

READ: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/3041014/

VOTE: http://bit.ly/nm-vote

Well, my laptop bit the big one. Right in the middle of a homework assignment the other night it went down (not in the good way), and never resurfaced. I've found that it needs AT LEAST: a new processor fan, a new hard drive (which I already replaced once last summer), and RAM. Which may not add up to too much of a cost, but I'm tired of putting money into this thing, and I don't want to take the chance of it going down again now that I finally got my a-s-s back in school.

So in the next week or so or whenever that residual student loan money comes in, I will have the privilege of for-the-first-time-ever buying a new laptop. No more hand me downs for this Capricorn. But- I don't know what to look for. Yeah, I may be going to school for Computer Information Technology, but we haven't gotten to the computer classes yet so I'm still clueless about everything. I don't know what to look for, what's important, what's a good price, nothing.

I know that I'm cheap, but don't want a generic brand. I want to stay under $500. I need it to come with Windows so I guess I don't need a Mac. I want a 15" screen. I do NOT need the $2000 gaming laptop that my son is begging me to buy.

Mainly all I use it for is to be on the internet 24/7 (hello, addiction much?), using MS Office programs for school, playing music, and watching videos occasionally. Can those of you who are tech-savvy advise me as to what I should look for as far as memory, hard drive, all that good stuff? Anyone have any recs for an amazing- and amazingly priced- laptop?

And finally, to brag on myself a little bit- I finished out my first class with an A-! I think the last time I got an A in school I was in second grade. Here's what happened when I texted my college-bound-herself daughter to let her know:

Me: I got an A- in my class!!!!

Her: What's the minus for? Do you need a tutor?

Me: For having a bratty daughter.

Her: You spelled amazing wrong.

 As some of you know, I am in love with my 1999 Land Rover Discovery. His name is Nigel. Nigel is no oridinary car. He is in fact a cantankerous duhty Englishman trapped in a chrome and steel tank. (And when I say he is duhty, well, he really is. He hasn't been properly bathed in over a year.) Nothing on Nigel works well anymore. His hatch hasn't opened in years (I may have taken him off roading which caused his, er, boot, to get of alignment. Of course MY version of off roading is just that...I often take a dirt road short cut from town to get home.) His window motor is busted. His gear box is totally messed up. He leaks. His radio hasn't worked in years. His leather seats are cracked. The rear view mirror is hanging by a thread. Eh, the list goes on. But I love him anyway because in spite of all the above, he is still my boy. This week Nigel nearly gave up the ghost (for the 4th time in two years.) He always says the same thing before I dial the repair shop. "I'm not worth it darling." Below are two snatches of conversations which reflect these recent events.

Anyone else here have a crush on their car? If so, I'd love to hear about it! I'd also LOVE to read stories that feature a car crush if anyone has a rec!

 Adventures with Nigel

Me: What was THAT?

Nigel: Waaaamp-cr-cr-cr-ooof-sputter-splat!

Me: (Sighing) Not again...

Nigel: Sorry, Ducks. Yes, I'm afraid it's either curtains or the wrecker for me, love. Your call, of course. But as you know...I'm not worth it, darling. Please...no heroics. We agreed. Remember the DNR...just...let me go naturally. You can always buy a... (ugh) VOLVO. You'll be happy driving like a Cu...(painful groan) Cullen.

Me: Oh for Chr- Okay. Yeah. Whatever. (dialing Taylor's auto repair.)

Taylors auto: Yo-this is Frank.

Me: Hey Frank, it's me, Jay-

Frank: Nigel's girl?

Me: Uh. Yeah. Nigel's girl.

Frank: Suicide watch again?

Me: Oh yeah and it's bad this time Frank; really bad. He...he's given up.

Frank: (Sighing) Okay, I'll let Tony know to bring the defribulator when he arrives with the wrecker. You at the college?

Me: Yes. But Frank...please. This time be honest.

Frank: Yeah, yeah. You're getting as bad as he is, sweetheart. Okay. I'll be honest. I'll call you in the morning and let you know whether to bring in your checkbook or to pick up his death certificate

The following afternoon

Nigel: Hallo Darling!
 

Me: Pfft. Don't you, Hallo Darling me, you limey scone sucking hack. I'm sick and tired of listening to you go on about how it's "curtains" and all that "I'm not worth it Darling" crap. What happened to having your fender curl up in repose, huh? Seriously...I love you Nigel, but this constant drama...I just can't take it anymore. I swear you are the biggest drama queen I've ever known and I have a BA in theatre for God sakes.
 

Nigel: Frank happened.
 

Me: Huh?
 

Nigel: You asked me what happened to my morose and brooding sentiments regarding my will to live and I'm answering your question, Love. Frank happened.
 

Me: Frank. You mean the mechanic?
 

Nigel: Frank isn't just a mechanic, Ducks. The man is a automobile psychologist. He is also a relationship therapist. He's from Southern California. He helped me channel my karma, baby.
 

Me: Good Lord. Okay. I get it. So, uh, DUDE. Are you, like, totally going to crank for me?
 

Nigel: Dirty Girl, of course I'll crank for you. But you have to put The Beach Boys in my complicated CD player and let me chill first. And no more swearing at me. Frank says we have to talk TO each other, not AT each other. He also says a little Saint John’s Wort would do you a world of good.
 

Me: Who are you and what have you done to my Nigel?
 

Nigel: I'm still me Darling. I let you go through your revolting little mid life crisis, so please allow me to indulge in my own. Oh, and Ducks? Can you please call Frank and ask him about those hemp seat covers he was telling me about?
 

Me: (Dialing Taylor’s Auto) Frank? We need to talk.

 http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7716152/1/Take_What_You_Want

Take What You Want » reviews 
Based on January 2012 witfit prompts. Though Bella's known Edward for years, they've just started hanging out. His crass, smelly boy self is not appealing, but his looks and charm are. How will she deal with her feelings for the gross, flirty boy?
Twilight - Rated: M - English - Humor/Angst - Chapters: 13 - Words: 32,490 - Reviews: 984 - Updated: 1-27-12 - Published: 1-6-12 - Edward & Bella