Confessions of a Twilidiot

@BronxZoosCobra Loves New York City

Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter 3/22/11 - Tasty Humans and "Pirate Rules"

After a couple months of experimenting, Twilidiot's Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter will have some rule changes for a more exciting and equitable game.  Follow @twilidiot from 7-9pm MT (9-11pm ET) and reply to questions to win prizes and just horrible amounts of fun.  This contest is open to anyone worldwide!

This week's grand prize is a The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Special Edition Blu-ray + DVD.  If you do not have this already, you'll love the special features (see my Collider review of the Blu-ray).  If you do  have it, then you are need of a second copy to give or lend.  The grand prize is won by the player with the most points over the two-hour period.  How points are awarded is changing with this week's game:  see below for full rules.

Also new this week are "Pirate Rules Rounds."  These are instant win rounds where the answer to one question wins a prize.  The prizes may be Hallmark cards, gift cards, calendars or #PrayForJapan Twitter Love merchandise.  It could be first correct reply, third correct reply, wittiest tweet -- I'm a pirate and I'm not telling.  Like Jack Sparrow and Sam Bellamy, I answer to no authority during this rounds.  But if ye not be liking your cap'n, then ye can vote 'er off (i.e. the dreaded and inconceivable "unfollow") so she be likely to split the loot fairly.

This week's topic is the Tasty Humans, both from the films and books.  Since it's the film score-obsessed Twilidiot, you also know there will be at least one music question thrown in.  The clue I can give is that since Bella is a topic unto herself, the questions will be about other humans.

How to play:

1. Follow @twilidiot on Twitter.
2. Questions will be tweeted over the two hour period. 
3. Be one of the first five correct replies to score points: 1st: 5 points, 2nd 4 points, 3rd 3 points, 4th 2 points and 5th 1 point.
4. The player with the most points at 9:00p.m. Mountain time (11:00 p.m. Eastern time) wins the Eclipse Blu-ray/DVD!
5. There will also be "Pirate Rules Rounds."  These are instant win questions with random rules and random prizes.

The winner e-mails his/her mailing address to twilidiot@twilidiot.com and the prizes will be mailed out via first class or international mail.

Even if you don't win, the game is fun to play!

Some prizes this week might be a T-shirt, teddy bear or a set of notecards from the #PrayForJapan Twitter Love Design for the Cafe Press Tweet for Good storefront.  I had an idea and @MelbieToast made it possible.  To see some more of her amazing photo creations and finds, please follow MelbieToast on Tumblr.  All profits from #PrayForJapan merchandise benefit CRASH Japan (@loveonjapan).

  

 

The following is not necessary for you to read to play the game.  It's just some answers about why I do this, where I get the prizes and a bit of ranting about proper attribution.

Where do I get this stuff and why do I give it away?  Several of my tweeps have been wondering.  I have "Obsessive Cullen Disorder" and tend to buy Twilight merchandise whenever I see a good deal or something that is mass-marketed and yet kind of hard to find (like Hallmark cards).  The Eclipse Blu-ray I bought from Target for $5 (suggested retail $29.99) when a promo code came across Twitter along with a Target online sale which sold out within 15 minutes.  I have all this stuff clogging up my house and it makes me happy when it makes you happy when I give it away, especially if you are not in the U.S. and can't get it in your country.

In my personal life, if there's a book or movie or magazine I really like, I buy multiple copies and give them away.  I've lost track of how many copies of The Twilight Saga, the Secret Garden, Water for Elephants and Lemony Snicket's The Composer is Dead have passed through my hands.

I receive nothing gratis from Summit or Little, Brown & Co. or Algonquin Books or Hallmark.  If I ever happy to get my hands on anything authographed, I will not be giving it away unless dying of a terminal illness.  You absolutely, positively may not have my autographed Bobby Long CD, for instance.

All the Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter questions are completely original.  I have purposely stayed away from my SceneIt? and iPad trivia apps so that I do not plagiarize.  I have a lot of fun making up these questions and do try to make them challenging but fair.  Twitter is great because I get immediate feedback on how long it takes to answer a question, how many people get it right and someone always corrects me right away if the question or answer is inaccurate in some way.  I welcome such feedback.  I have a background in employee and corporate training and designed learning games in my trainings.  It's just something I like to do.

Warning: Late night rant about unattributed and underattributed fansite blogs below

I went to Carleton College which was very strict about plagiarism and regularly expelled students for violations.  I also have an M.A. in Classical Chinese Literature.  When you're writing about 300 B.C. rhetorical texts that have been commented on for two millennia, pretty much anything you say has to be attributed to someone else and then you have to go read and attribute their source regardless of whether it is in English, Chinese, Japanese, German, French or heaven forbid, Russian. 

Every time I see the words "here" or "via" or "source" alone (i.e. without the name of the source written out) with a link on a blog I have a meltdown.  You should see what happens when a fansite grabs artwork from another fansite that trolled it from the talented folks on Deviant Art.  My mother is a watercolor artist and it takes a long time to produce a painting.  If you've ever tried to do anything in Photoshop, you'll understand why @MelbieToast is my hero.

I'm compiling a list of fansites that follow the highest standards in publishing ethics.  I only have found a few so far.  My own blog does not yet qualify because I was sloppy early on and especially need to clean up my Top 13 Twilight Highlights post.  No one has read it in ages, at least.  Please make suggestions for this list and feel free to comment on those blog posts and photos when you see them around the web.  For instance, if you see a Water for Elephants official still, write in the comments: "I love this beautiful photo by award-winning film still photographer David James."

That's all for tonight.  Thank you for listening!

:-) Gretchen / Twilidiot

Tech support for upgrading from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0

My husband the software engineer just sent me this viral email.  It's too funny not to share.

A woman writes to the IT Technical support Guy

Dear Tech Support,

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and I noticed a
distinct slowdown in the overall system performance, particularly in
the flower and jewellery applications, which operated flawlessly under
Boyfriend 5.0.

In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs,
such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5,
and then installed undesirable programs such as
NEWS 5.0, MONEY 3.0 and CRICKET 4.1.

Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and House cleaning 2.6 simply crashes
the system.

Please note that I have tried running Nagging 5..3 to fix these
problems, but to no avail.

What can I do?

Signed,
______ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________

Reply

DEAR Madam,

First, keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while
Husband 1.0 is an operating system.

Please enter command: i thought you loved me. html and try to download
Tears 6.2 and do not forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update..
If that application works as designed, Husband1.0 should then
automatically run the applications
Jewellery 2.0 and Flowers 3.5..

However, remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband
1.0 to default to Silence 2.5 or Beer 6.1.
Please note that Beer 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the
Snoring Loudly Beta.

Whatever you do, DO NOT under any circumstances install Mother-In-Law
1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize
control of all your system resources.)

In addition, please do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend 5.0
program. These are unsupported applications and will crash Husband
1.0.

In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited
memory and cannot learn new applications quickly.

You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and
performance.
We recommend: Cooking 3.0 and Nice Looks 7.7.

Good Luck Madam!
IT SUPPORT DESK :)

Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter 3/15/11 - Win Edward & Jacob Hallmark Cards

It's almost Tuesday!  Time again for Twilight Trivia on Twitter from 7-9pm MT (9-11pm ET).  This week there will be two lightning questions in the game just for those who have not made it on the scoreboard.  This contest is open to anyone worldwide!

This week's prize is a fabulous Jacob and Edward Twilight Hallmark birthday card collection.  Each card as something extra:  a poster, sound or wolfpack tattoo.  Watch slide show below for all four!

This week's topic is the wolfpack, both from the films and books.  Since it's the film score-obsessed Twilidiot, you also know there will be at least one music question thrown in.

How to play:

1. Follow @twilidiot on Twitter.
2. Questions will be tweeted over the two hour period. 
3. Be one of the first three correct replies to score points: 1st: 10 points, 2nd 6 points, 3rd 4 points.
4. The player with the most points at 9:00p.m. Mountain time wins the Jacob and Edward Hallmark card collection!
5. There will be two lightning rounds.  At a random time, I'll tweet a question that is just for anybody who has not made it onto the score board.  Answer that one question correctly and win a card!

The winner e-mails his/her mailing address to twilidiot@twilidiot.com and the cards will be mailed out via first class or international mail.

Even if you don't win, the game is fun to play!  Here's what players said about last week's game:

• @VanillaOrchidsI clearly need to brush up on my trivia. LOL But it was fun! Thanks!
• @MonicaM09 thanks for making Tuesday's enjoyable :)
•  @FourKicks101  I'm playing next week for sure...although I'm up against some amazing twilight fans! Thanks for a fun evening! :)
•  @tracish So much fun! Thanks!
•  @mizzdee_FF Thanks. It was fun
•  @CherylSab thanks for the game sweetie...had fun again!!
•  @twisurfergirl it was fun! had a great time playing. thanks!
•  @DebbieCDCWell I think it's great fun, altho I don't usually have time to play the full 2 hrs, it's a blast
•  @mzchandlaWell that was fun next wk I will be on my game and be sure to prep my fingers to type a little quicker!! :) THANKS FOR THE FUN  but I'm pretty happy I got on the board LMAO!!
•  @Ashley_Akers Today has been amazing! 1, @tinselkorey is following me. 2, @chrisweitzTweeted me, 3 no hmwrk. & 4 trivia tonight with @twilidiot :)
•  @TeamJaspward So sad I'm gonna miss @twilidiot twilight trivia tonight! And the topic is Edward!!! *tear*

Personally, some of the wild answers and crazy banter during the game had me laughing so hard that I think I pulled an abdominal muscle.

Come out and play!  Nothing to lose and cards to win!

Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter - 3/8/11 - Edward Hallmark Card Collection Giveaway

It's almost Tuesday!  Time again for Twilight Trivia on Twitter from 7-9pm MT (9-11pm ET).  This week there will be a lightning question later in the game just for those who have not made it on the scoreboard.  This contest is open to anyone worldwide!

This week's prize is a fabulous Edward Cullen Twilight Hallmark birthday card collection.  Included is the brand new, U.S. postage included Eclipse card.  Watch slide show below for all five!

 

This week's topic is Edward, both from the films and books.  Since it's the film score-obsessed Twilidiot, you also know there will be at least one music question thrown in.

How to play:

1. Follow @twilidiot on Twitter.
2. Questions will be Tweeted over the two hour period. 
3. Be one of the first three correct replies to score points: 1st: 10 points, 2nd 6 points, 3rd 4 points.
4. The player with the most points at 9:00p.m. Mountain time wins the Edward Hallmark card collection!

The winner e-mails his/her mailing address to twilidiot@twilidiot.com and the cards will be mailed via Priority Mail (or international letter) on Friday.

Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter 3/1/11 - Win a Sephora Gift Card

In honor of Bryce Dallas Howard's birthday on March 2, the grand prize for Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter on 3/1/11, 7-9pm MT (9-11pm ET) will be a $10 Sephora eGift certificate!  You can get some Kate Spade perfume, Pacifica Lilac products (smell like Edward!) or whatever you desire.

 Photo via www.katespade.com
 

This week's topic is Victoria, both from the films and books.  Since it's the film score-obsessed Twilidiot, you also know there will be at least one music question thrown in.

How to play:

1. Follow @twilidiot on Twitter.
2. Questions will be Tweeted over the two hour period. 
3. Be one of the first three correct replies to score points: 1st: 10 points, 2nd 6 points, 3rd 4 points.
4. The player with the most points at 9:00p.m. wins the Sephora eGift certificate!

@spritegirl24_7 graciously agreed to tweet this week's contest (still tweeting the trivia as @twilidiot, though - but follow her, too).  This will give everyone else a chance as well as Jayme is quite the trivia maven.

 Even if you can only play part of the time, it is great fun!

Tasteful Twilight Gifts #8: Volturi Jane Barbie Collector Doll

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Volturi Jane Barbie Collector Doll is now available, just in time for Dakota Fanning's birthday February 23.  The Jane doll is exquisitely detailed, including a replica of the Volturi crest necklace.

 

 

In addition to the necklace, the doll is true to the beautiful Dakota Fanning's portrayal of Jane in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse film.  The doll has blonde hair in a complicated bun and a fleece, hooded cloak.  She wears black mittens -- gloves would be hard to do on a Barbie and tall black boots.  The irises are redder than the Victoria doll.

The box includes a snowy, wooded background and a doll stand.

  

The Volturi Jane doll was to be released March 1, 2011 but is shipping now from Amazon vendors.  I received mine already, today February 22.  The prices are over a wide range.  Once Amazon itself starts stocking the doll on March 1, I predict that the price may drop to the range of the new Victoria dolls at around $25.00. 

Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter 2/22: Win a Volturi Jane Barbie Doll

In honor of Dakota Fanning's birthday on February 23, the grand prize for Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter on 2/22, 7-9pm MT (9-11pm ET) will be a Volturi Jane Barbie Doll!  The doll releases on March 1 and I will send it after that.

  
This week's topic is the Volturi, both from films and books.  Since it's the film score-obsessed Twilidiot, you also know there will be at least one music question thrown in.

How to play:

1. 1. Follow @twilidiot on Twitter.
2. 2. Questions will be Tweeted over the two hour period. 
3. 3. Be one of the first three correct replies to score points: 1st: 10 points, 2nd 6 points, 3rd 4 points.
4. 4. The player with the most points at 9:00p.m. wins the doll!

Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter Cures Headaches!

Last week, I had a severe headache from downing a Diet Coke (I don't usually consume aspartame) but at the end of the two hours, it was gone.

Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter is Just Plain Fun!

• @MiChiamoElle: I had to eat dinner at the computer tonight @twilidiot. Worth it tho! I swear I will never forget the answers to these q's.
• @jmarcinikgld @twilidiot THat was fun!! :) :D Thanks!
• @jmarcinikglsd: G'night, twitter! *had a blast with @twilidiot's trivia* <---- follow her btw!
• @MonicaM09: My Tuesdays just got better all cause of @twilidiot!
• @InigiTeamRobsten had a lot of fun in the trivia today and it was my 1st time

You can win a really nice collector's doll!  I really liked the Victoria Barbie Doll (Tasteful Twilight Gift #4 ).  I'm hoping that when the doll releases on March 1 it drops to $25 and I can ship direct via Amazon Prime 2-day.  If not, you're winning a $50 doll.  I'm a woman of my word.

I must still be high from seeing both James Franco and Aron Ralston in-person last night.  :-)

Music from SyFy's Being Human Season 1 - Update 2/8/11

The new SyFy show Being Human is about a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost as roommates trying to be good and interact with the human world as best they can, with an amazing Indie soundtrack underscoring the scenes.  Sound vaguely familiar?  Thought so.  Here is a complete Being Human playlist all in one place with an .mp3 clips preview and links to Amazon, which has more of the tracks than iTunes and some at a lesser price.  It's the best music you've never heard.  A few of the songs are not available anywhere so I suggest a couple of substitutions for those who like the original tracks used in the show or where you can find it on MySpace Music.

BREAKING NEWS (2/8/11) FOR EPISODE 4 FROM ADRIAN GLYNN:

The very first song in Episode 4 is "7 or 8 days" by Canadian artist Adrian Glynn.  The track is off the album Bruise, which won't be released until April.  A couple of us fans, myself and @BeingHuman3, asked Adrian Glynn on Twitter this morning if he was planning to release "7 or 8 days" as a single on iTunes.  You can now listen on YouTube:



Visit Adrian Glynn's official site at http://www.adrianglynn.com for the "7 or 8 days" lyrics, tour schedule, to order his EP Adrian Glynn and to watch a satirical music video (the voice is still lovely, though).  THANK YOU, ADRIAN!

Also, visit the Being Human Source blog, a great fan site for both the SyFy and BBC Being Human shows and follow @BeingHuman3 on Twitter.

 Here is a preview of all the music from episodes 1-4.  I made substitutions in a couple of places for songs that are not yet available.  Please see notes below the widget for where to get music for a couple of the artists not on Amazon.

Notes on episode 2: If you can find "The Beat Stuff" by Hannah Georgas or "Shinsy" by Catlow, please let me know! 

Notes on episode 3: 

• "Mind and Soul" by The Plains: Unfortunately, the band The Plains has dissolved according to their MySpace music page.  Their two album are still available on iTunes, however: The Boy in the Mansuit and On Earth as it is in Heaven. 
• "The Ghost in You" by Matthew Puckett: You can listen for free to this hauntingly beautiful cover on iLike and then purchase through the buy button.  It also available on iTunes.

SOME THOUGHTS ON INDIE MUSIC FROM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO:

These are the days when I miss Napster, or even Kaazaa before it installed a ton of spyware.  You could get your hands on absolutely anything, even the original world music tracks used in Moulin Rouge. 

Fortunately, there are music producers like Alexandra Patsavas of Chop Shop Records (who brought us the Twilight soundtracks) and Alicen Schneider at NBC Universal who also works with SyFy's Caprica and Warehouse 13, as well as Crossing Jordan and Heroes.  It is ironic that one of the best places to discover Indie music is on the soundtracks of film and television about the parnormal.  Vampires, werewolves and ghosts are outsiders and so are the artists on the soundtracks.  Everybody just wants to be heard.

With Amazon .mp3's and Kindle, Facebook and Twitter, there is a revolution underway, though.  As Sean Parker of Napster and Facebook fame remarks, recording artists may not longer be able to afford yachts but the best music you've never heard is going to make it to your ears.  Check out this great informal panel discussion with author Paulo Coehlo (The Alchemist) from this past Sunday, January 23, 2011 at the DLD11 Conference in Munich:

 

Parker mentions manufactured bands such as The Backstreet Boys at 2:30.  I would have died laughing if he had said 'N Sync.  At 4:25 is his comments on The Social Network as a great piece of filmmaking that is "a complete work of fiction," how there are no Victoria's Secret models in Silicon Valley and how he would never be that horrible to Eduardo Savrin.  Now watch the rest of it for the really important parts of the conversation.  ;-)

In the meantime, enjoy the music.  Did you miss the first two episodes of Being Human?  They are killer (bad pun intended)!  Watch online with SyFy rewind, on iTunes or Amazon Video on Demand.  For all the many crazy fun things you can do online and via apps with Being Human, please see my Denver iPad Examiner review.  New episodes of Being Human are on Mondays at 9:00p.m. ET on the SyFy channel.

Here's a video preview.  "You two going to go all Twilight on me?"

 

Tuesday Twilight Trivia on Twitter - See you next week!

Last night was "super fun!"  (I do love Reese Witherspoon's Elle Woods in Legally Blonde.)  So we'll play again next Tuesday night but for a shorter time.  Stay tuned for more info.  Here are the details on what went on this week:

No one wants to play Scene It? The Twilight Saga with me around here. I also fell victim to my OCD* and bought way too many Twilight Eclipse boxed Valentines, Hallmark cards and Valentine candies. So let's play Twilight Trivia on Twitter!  This Tuesday, February 8, 5-9p.m. MT (7-11 ET). Here's how to play:

1. Follow @twilidiot on Twitter.
2. I'll Tweet a trivia question.  Some may include a link to a photo or very short audio or video clip.
3. Hit "reply" and type your answer.
4. First person to reply with the correct answer wins the prize.

This Tuesday's theme is "Everything Eclipse:" The books (The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: an Eclipse Novella is included), the movie and the music.

Here are the prizes:

 See you Tuesday night on Twitter!  Tweet ya later!

:-) Gretchen/Twilidiot

*Obsessive Cullen Disorder (OCD)