Hunger Games vs Twilight

The one good thing about having a blog, when you get aggravated about a subject, you have a sounding board. I can rant and rave right here. My topic today is Hunger Games vs Twilight.  First of all, idiots that keep trying to compare them are really making me angry. It shows their ignorance and makes them appear stupid. If you are a critic and you don't like a book or movie, that is your prerogative. But when you are reviewing one entity why compare it to something you don't like.   So I am going to rant and rave here and try and get out my frustration.

First let's just review the similarities. This is a very short list.  The books are both fiction written for young adults by two different but amazing authors. The stories were so long that it took multiple books to tell them. The main character is a young girl and she has two young men that love her. The stories tell how the young girl goes on a journey and how she changes over the span of less than 2 years. They are both love stories, but within two completely different settings.  Both stories are depicted on screen in Hollywood. The lives of these actors have been drastically changed as the fans of the books and the press have lifted them to super star status. This is where it ends.

Twilight was chock full of supernatural, make believe, characters that could never exist except in our imagination. Vampires and werewolves were set in a world that we could only dream about. Not your scarey bloody full of horror monsters either. But a fantasy of the "bad guys" trying to be good. Bella falling in love with someone she shouldn't. The forbidden love. She gives up her world and life to be in Edwards. Not because she just fell in love, but because she feels she belongs there. And as for this fan of the books, sometimes the movies fell short of the mark, but the characters that came alive on the screen were perfect.  She went on a journey of discovering what she needed and wanted and what she could live with and without. All the odds were not in her favor and she had to escape death on several occasions. First the man made one where she was saved from being crushed by a van by Edward. Of course Edward had to deal with his family about what it could have cost him. She was saved from another vampire by Edward and his family. She was saved by yet another vampire by the Jacob and his werewolf brothers. She was saved from the mean and evil Victoria by the Cullens and Werewolves. And she was saved from death one more time after delivering her baby, Edward changed her into a vampire. So No these things cannot happen. This is just a story of forbidden love but in the end she gets everything she wants. Hello!!! A FAIRYTALE.....


The Hunger Games is set in a post apocalyptic world. Katniss is looking to save her family as well as herself. This is fiction, but it could happen. It has nothing to do with fairy tales or the supernatural. From the first page of this book, Katniss is trying to save her family. She volunteers to take her sister's place in the Games. Knowing that the odds are against her coming home. Either choice she had made, she is trying to save the lives of her family.  This young girl that is old beyond her years helps incite a revolution. It is far more reaching than that of a love triangle. This is not a choice of love, but of saving her family and the people she loves.  It is also a journey of finding out what she is capable of. Finding out what you would do and how far you would go.  And throughout the series of books, she suffers loss.  This is not a happy story full of magic and fairy tales.  In the end, she does finally get her Happy...but it is not without much pain and loss.


So when critics start acting like the real fans of both series, seriously would compare them it makes me so angry. "The Hunger Games" is such a serious subject. We know that.  The critics are using "The Hunger Games" to criticize "Twilight" yet again . That somehow comparing the two will make us believe that our Twilight world is less.  I know that this is a stupid Rant, but you know when you are a fan of something, you don't want someone making fun of it. I suppose when you look at how many books and tickets were sold, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. My opinion of the "Twilight" movies were not always favorable. I felt cheated that they left so much out. The last movie for the book fans, had to be the best. I have high hopes that "The Hunger Games" movie will hit the mark. Comparing the both of them, the actors they have chosen bring our characters to life.

Family Day

We spent this Sunday riding down to Mt. Scott in the Wichita Wildlife Refugee. We have been there before, but I think my grandchildren really enjoy it. Mike and Lloyd took the motorcycles and the kids took turns riding there. They had so much fun.

I am not sure what they enjoy the most. It seems that every time we go it is cool and WINDY... wow.. But we ended up with a great day. They even enjoy the visitor center. It seems that we see something new every time we go. This time the Buffalo and Long Horn Cattle were out and more visible.

Six of the grandchildren came with us. Two of the girls were missing. It never seems like we can get them all together. but with Anna being 15 going on 35...we don't see very much of her and our poor Katie girl broke her arm on Christmas Day and she didn't need to be climbing around on the rocks or riding the motorcycle. Of course if she had been there, we wouldn't be able to stop her. It is also a challenge when 4 of our boys are autistic. We never know when we plan an outing how it will end. When you try to cater to our kids, a melt down can make the day miserable...but on the other hand, when it all comes together, it is beautiful. We had one of those days on Sunday.

Noah is non verbal which means he doesn't use words. However his actions and the sounds he makes lets us know whether or not he is having a good day. He had a wonderful day. It was really awesome. As he gets older, you can see that he is learning more everyday on how to communicate with us. And the more he learns, the easier his life becomes and ours in turn....

He smiled all day long. This picture of him and his dad sitting on the top of the rocks, shows him completely relaxed. The sun reflecting in the sky, bouncing off the rocks seems to be showing Angel beams bouncing off his smile.  

Of course we had our Lilly Girl with us and she was telling us what to do all day long.Took her baby with us to the top...

Brody wouldn't ride on the motorcycle with Dad or Papa because neither wore their Overhauls. It seems that Brody doesn't feel safe unless he can use the straps to hold on to. He had a great time at the Visitor center.

Ashton was convinced that the top of Mt. Scott had dinosaur footprints in the rocks. He was measuring up to the "dinosaur track"

And then we have the two older boys..Cousins they are, but also best friends. Listening to their conversations can be enlightening to say the least. Both are high functioning Autistic. Now they are at the age that they really don't want people to know. I am so proud of what they accomplish everyday. We had some conversations on how those Texas Long Horns got to Oklahoma.

Here is a pic of Anna and Katie the ones we had to leave behind on Sunday. Although Katie did not want to miss it...well on the other hand, sometimes Anna just doesn't have time. I so understand..but sometimes I wish she could come and enjoy our outings. She just doesn't know how much we miss her.

Although my daughter and the two girls were missing, we had a great day. We are not always so lucky to have days like this. With our boys disabilities, it is hard to find activities that are fun and sensory friendly. This day, God blessed us with his love and the Angels were looking down on us.

Teen Drinking

 Today I was thinking that I had to find something else to write about. I didn't have anything interesting to say. And then all of a sudden I started commenting on one of my girl's Face Book Post, and I realized I needed more room. Thank you Sabrina.

She posted this " Teen Drinking is Very Bad , YO I have a fake id though"  Of course I couldn't leave this one alone. I love her way too much to keep my mouth shut. So Sabrina, this is for you and all of my other kids that have come through my life these past few years. Keep in mind that even though I am of a more interesting age, I started out just like you and I have made my own bad choices.  For me, I was very lucky that the consequences of my bad choices did not cost me what they could have.

This statement is so true, Teen Drinking is Very Bad. But do you know why?  I mean I could go on and on about all the bad things that could happen to you. All the consequences of the actions that it could lead to. And I could just tell you how stupid you are for doing it.

I am not even going to pretend that I know if you do or don't...if you have tried or not...because I don't. Just for fun, I am going to pretend that I do know and you have made the choice to drink at some of these parties that I keep hearing about. This is sort of the scenario I imagine is happening. And this is the story I am telling of you and your friends.

You are out with your friends and although you never have before, tonight your boyfriend made you really angry because he was making eyes at another girl and you found her text on his phone.
You get to the party and everyone is having fun. Some one asks you if you want a drink...maybe they are playing a drinking game and you say no at first, but you are mad at your boyfriend....so you think that it will be okay if you just have one. After all you are tired of always being the "goodie two shoes". And because you have never done this before, 1 glass of  "punch" makes you giggle and laugh like nothing else. And everything is so funny...Why not have another? By this time, you are really having a great time...everyone is laughing with you or AT YOU...but you didn't notice that......It had gotten very warm and maybe you .....take off that long sleeve t-shirt that you are wearing over a tank....And that really cute bad boy is paying attention to you....

Who are you at the party with? Are they drinking to???While you are losing control, who are you trusting to keep you out of trouble. Because right now girls...guess what...you are no longer in control of what is happening to you. How does that feel? Oh right, you don't know how that feels, because you can't even feel your lips right now...and you are still having fun...I am not going to lie to you and try and tell you that it feels bad...because right now it doesn't...Not yet.... And that really cute bad boy is probably kissing you on the neck and laughing and encouraging you to have another glass of "punch"...And your really getting warm now...and you might take off that tank...and all of the "friends" there are encouraging you to do just that. Especially that really cute bad boy...NOW, Who has your back...because now you have lost your control completely. You have numbed out the person you are and now there is no one standing in your way to "fun"...Or A really bad CHOICE...For instance... Who Drove you there? and how are you going to get home... Oh, maybe it is that really cute bad boy...because by now he is in "LOVE" with you...There are many scenarios that can happen now...and guess what...It doesn't really matter which one I write about, because you have lost control and it isn't up to you anymore. Who has your back? hmmm Well since this is my pretend story, your best friend that you came with only drank 2 glasses of "punch" but it was her first time also...So she is going to drive you home. But you are not ready to go home yet and so she decides to leave you here. She takes your other best friend home with her...He has had twice as much to drink and is throwing up and someone throws him in the car. He didn't have control over that either, because he was passed out. His choice and control was gone. ...Remember that really cute bad boy...well he promised to have your back because now your drinking your 3rd glass of "punch" and he really "LOVES" you now.... And by now you are getting so warm, and can't really stand up, so this really cute bad boy takes you inside where you can lie down until you feel better. Oh don't forget your warm, so he helps you take off some more of your clothes. By now you also "LOVE" him and well I think you know what comes next. Is this your first time? Well if he didn't use a condom, you won't get pregnant will you...because it is only your first time....HAHAHAHA....WRONG...hmmmm But you have no say so right now because you trusted some one else to have your back and gave away your control.... Well let's hope this is the end of this...This really cute bad boy never used a condom in his life and let's just say this isn't his 1st or even his 20th time..He is that really really cute sexy bad boy...Wonder what disease he might have..OH right you gave up all control, so you can't even ask the question or demand that he wear a condom or even have control enough to say NO! So you end the night puking up your guts and then you WAKE up with a STRANGER....So you get up wondering what happened, because you can't remember....WHAT? where is your friends... So you get up look in the mirror at the person you don't even know, because...For the past 12 hours, you have no idea what that person in the mirror has been doing. You can't  even find your phone, and what about your friends and your parents.... OH GOD...I am going to die...NO you won't, you might wish you were dead...but you won't die over this....Unless that really cute bad boy STRANGER has a disease... Where are your friends? Well since this is my party..so to speak ...let me tell you what happened.. Your best friend who only had 2 glasses of "punch", well she drove herself home...And your other friend well remember, he got sick and passed out and they threw him in her car....Well they were driving home and She didn't stop at the stop sign because she was changing the music on the radio so she could party on the way home, and she hit a truck and well, the good news, she is in the hospital, with a broken leg and arm...the bad news, your other friend was laying in the seat without a seat belt. He went through the windshield and another car hit him and he is in the morgue....As for you...you could have HIV, Hep C or just be pregnant at 16. You go ahead and choose...because I doubt you are going to worry about any of that until you bury your friend.  And the one that is in the hospital...she may have to serve some time in jail...of course everyday for the rest of her life she will live with the fact that she killed her friend. I don't how you see this story ending..of course, I could have gotten it all wrong, you got drunk for the first time, started throwing up and your parents were called. All three of you got home safely and the worst that happened was a huge hangover and maybe being grounded for the rest of your life...or maybe a month...I know that you are all just kids...well I guess I should say YOUNG..I read on Face Book just the other day that being Young is not an excuse to be an idiot...hmmmm... I am not trying to scare you. You have to decide what choices you make. But when you are drinking, you cannot make good choices.

Who will you trust enough to be in control of your life when you are not? When you choose to drink or do drugs, you are trusting the alcohol or drug to be in control for you. Whether you think it is okay to drink or not, Do you really want to relinquish the control you have and let someone or something else make the choices when You will be the one to suffer the consequences. Are you willing to let someone else play Russian Roulette with your life? Because that is what you are doing. I love you all and just want you to have all your hopes and dreams come true. Right now, you haven't even lived long enough to know what all your dreams are going to be. Someday you will find someone to share your life with and you will have children and then you will have new dreams...so please don't let bad choices take away all that can be or might be. I want to share with you something I wrote for Anna on her 13th birthday. This is what I hope for all the kids that come through my life.

"You hope that every choice she makes will be the perfect one. You know that the odds are against that. So you hope that the bad choices she makes will have just enough consequences. ..just enough to affect her life in a positive way. Just enough to give her the wisdom to NOT make them again."