On August 26th I started a campfire and asked for some unbiased advice on a problem my family was having with a request made by my son’s fiancé. I just wanted to share with those who participated in the campfire, and even those who didn’t, just exactly how everything went down.

Story inside. . .
 

Alright, so we're broke (who isn't!) and we need to switch dog foods. I've had the pups on Blue Buffalo but really can't afford $50 bags of food anymore. Looking for a cheap alternative. Anyone got a decently priced dog food they use? Or anyone experiemented and actually found blue buffalo to be worth the price? Should I be looking for what experts tell you with meat as the first two or three ingredients or will my pound puppies be ok with regular old dog food? They both tend to have ok stomachs but Old Roy (the walmart brand of dog food) caused.....unpleasant side effects so I can't go that cheap. Any thoughts?

And thanks for the input if you have a some.

Hello Campers!

It's been forever since I've done a campfire (or spent any real time here... stupid RL) and I'm looking for new music!  Since it's FFAF and the only other thing I'm doing on my Friday night is working on work-related stuff, I'm hoping you can tell me this:

What song(s) make you think of certain fics?  Like, if you're listening to music and this song comes on, you instantly think of a certain fic.

Here are a few of mine:

18th Floor Balcony by Blue October reminds me EP (because if you read it, you know she used this song in the story).  Every time this song comes on my iPod, I always think of EP.

Your Beating Heart by Brendan James reminds me Paper Cutouts (I love this song and was so excited when I read this story to see they had used the lyrics in one of the chapters).

The Lengths by The Black Keys reminds me of For the Summer.  It wasn't used in the story, but when I was reading it someone told me to listen to this song while reading and now it always reminds me of that fic when I hear it!

So... got anything for me?

I would add a picture or graphic... but it's such a process and I'm way too lazy...

I really want someone to answer these for me. it's Friday. and I am in my sweats watching SpongeBob Square pants the Movie. Humor me. 

When people ask you what sides of the bed you sleep on. What POV do you answer from? Is it the R or L when you are Facing the bed OR the right left when you are actually on the bed?

I really want to know. 

Why do people say "slept like a baby" when babies actually wake up LIKE every two hours?

Why do little girls, or anyone really, cry when they meet a famous person? Are they REALLY THAT OVERCOME WITH EMOTION. I mean, I don't see why its a reason to cry. I just don't. If it were me, I would go crazy with excitement. If you are a crier. Please explain. 

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog’s face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride; he sticks his head out the window? WHY? is your blowing not powerful enough. Pun not intended. 

Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

Can you CRY under WATER?

Someone. Please, explain. 

Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Why did you just try singing the two songs above?

Someone. Please, explain. 

Eta: You are allowed to ask your own mind boggling questions. Is there something that bother you? something you just can't understand. Ask away. I want this to be interactive. 

Happy FFA!

SO I just saw the movie 50/50 staring the man who is my current biggest Hollywood crush Joseph Gordon Levitt (as well as a couple of chicks who were in these Twilight movies). Without being to graphic I want to touch his dimples, with my tongue.

  I knew basically what the movie was about going in (the previews say he has cancer in the movie) and I knew I was going to get somewhat emotional as I went through something similar.  However, I did not know that my Hollywood crush would actually be telling my life story right down to the location of the main characters tumor (just slightly higher than mine on the spine) and his age when he found out.  It was like in the song Killing Me Softly (you know: strummin my pain with your fingers, singing my life with your words) and I was pretty much in tears the whole time.  And I think it may have caused me to suffer a little PTSD and I have to keep reminding myself that I am luckily not in that situation anymore. 

Have you ever watched something crazy similar to your life play out on the big screen and then freak out about? 

Have you seen this movie, did you like it?  I liked it a lot it  had a lot of sarcastic humor but a lot of times I was the only one in the theater laughing, because I think some people don't get it.

  Also gosh darn I am starting to love Anna Kendrick even though she plays kinda the same character all the time she is so good at acting awkward and has good comedic timing  she is growing on me. 

NEW ANGSTY FIC FROM LJ SUMMERS

OPEN UP NEXT TO YOU by LJ Summers

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7424463/1/#

http://www.adifferentforest.com/Fiction/Title/795/Open_Up_Next_to_You

Summary: Expanded from my Heartbreak drabble. Ten years after the events of Eclipse, Edward meets his true vampire mate; Bella is left desolate. Alice and Jasper take her in with them to help her through her heartbreak. Rated for mature relationship issues.

I had the blessing of being able to read this WHILE our Miss Summers (@SandyQuill) wrote this...the ANGST killed me!!!  And then I giggled...and then I cried...then I wanted to HIT something...then I laughed again...and then CRIED.

Yes...it touched me on so many levels...so many...if  ANGST is your thing...do sign on for this ride...

Once LJ hits complete on this fic, it's going to go down as one of my TOP FIVE FICS EVER....EVER!!!

I'm the room mom for my child's kindergarten class. I have to come up with an idea to decorate their door for homecoming. PLEASE HELP! I can't think of anything!

Theme for the doors this year is:

SUPERHEROES: Your Warrior Power Unleashed

The 5 Year olds must be somewhat involved in decorating the door. It is a CONTEST. The school mascot is Warriors. 

THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE!

And, it will soon be finished. I am VERY happy - I am insanely in love and obsessed with this story.  As soon as the final chapter is posted, I'm going to settle into the corner of the couch and read it from beginning to end.

 Breaking Points
Ever wonder why Rosalie and Edward are so cold towards one another? Their story from the start; in keeping with the books, but based on the idea that they're both masterful liars. Love, lust, betrayal, desire, lies, darkness and breaking points.
Twilight - Rated: M - English - Romance/Angst - Chapters: 41 - Words: 407,747 - Reviews: 971 - Updated: 9-30-11 - Published: 8-17-08 - Edward & Rosalie

I'm a little bored today. Yeah there's plenty of things I should be doing, but nothing I WANT to do.

I want to know what songs make you laugh. For any reason whether they're meant to be funny or you take them the wrong way entirely.

Here's mine. Say what you want about the band. Like'em, hate 'em, whatever. This song always makes me laugh. It reminds me of some of the language used in fanfiction that has most of us cringing. I know I'm taking the lyrics the wrong way, but I still laugh. Maybe I am a heartless person for laughing at such a sentimental song.

Great, you don't even have to listen to the song to see what I'm talking about.

So what makes you laugh?

Please and Thank You-

I am looking for a new brand of moisturizer for my face. I have been using the ROC Deep Wrinkle (Even though I don't have deep wrinkles) but I don't feel it actually moisturizes very well.

I have normal skin, but the start of wrinkles around my eyes as I will be 41 soon.

Would like it to have SPF in it, for obvious reasons

I use it for daytime and for night as well

What are you using and would you recommend it to me?

J

It's Friday, the day when we get to talk about anything, and my husband and I have just been having a discussion I feel like sharing with you.

STAR WARS

How AWESOME would it have been if, at the end of episode 6, the man under Darth Vader's mask was actually James Earl Jones? I know that, because of the era the films were released in, it probably would have resulted in an uproar. Even so, I feel that not only would it have kicked SO MUCH ASS, not only would George Lucas have been a social innovator, but the prequels would have been a thousand times more enjoyable with Anakin Skywalker as a black character. Rising from obscure slavery to intergalactic heroism, struggling with his own inner turmoil, falling in love, rising to power...I just think it would have worked on even more levels in the public's collective consciousness.

Ladies and gents, what are your feelings on this? Think the world would have been able to handle it in 1983? Think it would have changed the context of the films too much? Would the films have become less popular, or more? Would a black Anakin as a child-slave have stepped on too many toes? Would it not have made a difference? Who would you have cast as Anakin in the prequels?

I think this man could have held his own as the revealed Darth Vader just fine:

This is James Earl Jones in 1981 as Othello

This is from his appearance in the video game Command and Conquer: Tiberian Sun (2000).

Morning Campers!

"While The Yanks Are Away..." is another new feature here on ADF that we hope you'll enjoy! Every morning, Monday - Friday, I will be posting a campfire that will vary in topic - some specifically British, some not - especially for those of us that are awake and ready to start the day.

We felt that our UK and European Campers, our late night Americano's and evening Aussie's were missing out while precious sleep was getting caught up on across the pond. 

So while our US friends catch some Zzzzz's, lets have some fun!

My topic for today is what I like to think of as the most dysfunctional family in Britain:

 The Royals.

What are you thoughts? Do you love them? Hate them? Want to party with Harry? Shop with Kate? Exile Pippa? Create many more meme's like this one:

Let us know!

IT'S ALMOST TIME

WHAT WILL HAPPEN THIS EPISODE?

WILL ELENA FINALLY FIND STEFAN?

WILL STEFAN AND KLAUS FINALLY BREAK UP? (i mean it is called "the end of the affair" right?)

WILL BONNIE EVER SHOW HERSELF IN PERSON IN THIS SEASON????

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN'T WATCH IT AT 8PM EST... YOU KNOW THE DRILL - SPOILERS AHEAD!

NOW GET READY CAMPERS!

Do you keep your ff obsession a secret or are you out of the closet? I used to think ff was the dumbest idea ever, and look at me now lol

Taken from "The Boy who lived forever": ff authors are "fans, but they’re not silent, couchbound consumers of media. The culture talks to them, and they talk back to the culture in its own language"

Then again, there's always the Twific urban dictionary definition *facepalm*

I'm super stoked to say that I'm now posting my fics here on ADF! I started with my most recent fic, Confidential. I have 3 chapters posted so far, but will be posting the rest in the next week or so. It's complete, so you won't have to wait!

Come take a peek?

Summary: Living amongst the rolling vineyards and lush landscape has been Bella’s dream. So why is she so plagued when a certain mystery man-about-town eludes her? Rated M. B/E. AH.
 

Thanks for reading! I'm exited to be posting here!

Did you read the new chapter? So many more answers this time around - what did you think? Was it what you expected? Come talk to me!

Every week we open up the forest for all of those inquiries you have been dying to make.

Inquries like:

"What is the name of that fic about...?"

"I would love it if someone would rec me...."

"I forgot how to..."

"The new site is great! But how do you...?"

"What every happened to....?"

ALL HELP GOES HERE. ALL HELPERS ANSWER HERE!

It is the Amnesia, Request, Questions, Techie campfire....

IT ALL HAPPENS HERE EVERY WEEK IN THE FOREST!

SUBMISSION CAMPFIRE

THIS IS SUBMISSIONS ONLY! DIRECT QUESTIONS HERE

I have a contest for you!

Our banners and backgrounds need a refresh. The person that makes the ones we like best will get a $50 iTunes card.

Here are some details you need to know:

banners:

We need banners for Weekly Rec, Pimp, Help Desk, and our newest campfire - BONDFIRE.

The banners can be no larger than 515x275pixels.

It would be kind of awesome if each banner matched-kind of like a theme.

NO actors in the banners, please. So, no Kristen, Robert, Taylor, etc. Use your imaginations without having to rely on them.

background:

we need you to find us a new fall themed background.

it MUST BE A FOREST.

It can be no smaller than 1600x900pixels.

Vibrant FALL colours.

don't just google "vibrant forests" and then pick the first one you come across. we'll be able to tell.

can't find a picture that isn't in those specifications? try taking a pic of your own, or edit an existing forestry pic you like, and make it fall-ish.. Get creative, campers!

Some more details that you need to know:

When entering, you must enter ALL FIVE IMAGES AT THE SAME TIME. If you comment with an image, five separate times, we won't even look at you, no matter how pretty they are. So that means, you must have all five completed before entering! 

if it's not clear enough - you need to do all five images to even enter.

ONLY ONE ENTRY (all five together) PER PERSON

RANGERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER.

Deadline is Sunday at 11:59PM EST.

Winner will be announced sometime in the AFTERNOON on Tuesday. if it's not at 12PM on the dot, don't fret, it'll be coming(twss~) WE TAKE OUR RANGER VOTES VERY SERIOUSLY.

Use this campfire for QUESTIONS ONLY.

there will be a separate submissions campfire shortly!

Happy creating!

SUBMISSION POST HERE

I know there's a strong opinion for either end of the spectrum about this story. I happen to love it:)

So what do you think of the new update?? What will Edward do? Will he or won't he?? Tell me your theories!!!