recent snapshots and a list.

In honor of today, here's my little thankful list.

1. My family. This was the first thanksgiving we've ever done at my mama's house, and it's been wonderful. 

2. My roommates. I love those crazy girls.

3. Watching the UT A&M game with my grandma, who has the best commentary. (hook 'em, boys!)

4.My faith. The Lord has blessed me above and beyond anything I could have ever imagined.

5. That I get to see Raven in January!

6. Kenny Warmold. We saw Footloose tonight and...I am grateful for his face. Amen.

7. Red lipstick :)

8. The incredible friends I have met through blogging. You all mean the world to me. 

I hope y'all have had spectacular day. What are you thankful for?

from books to movies.

Did you guys SEE The Hunger Games trailer?
It has been days and I am still thinking about it.

I think I have now watched it roughly 35 times. 

I love everything about it.

But you know what I love most about it?

The fact that I love it.

Does that make sense?

I am notorious for hating movies if they were originally books, because I always love the book more.
I am unbelievably picky when it comes to the movie, so usually I already dislike it by the time the trailer is out.
And while I have definitely found some things I dislike about THG trailer (hello, Haymitch's hair??) overall, I am extremely impressed.

And the trailer has got me thinking about other books that have been turned into movies.
So here's a few that come to mind, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

My Sister's Keeper

Yes, yes, the ending is ridiculous. 

But I really do love this movie. 

And honestly, (for those of you who have read it and know what I'm talking about) I think if they had kept the original ending in the movie, all of America would have had a heart attack. I know I did when I read it, and seeing it on screen would have made it a thousand times worse.

In Her Shoes

I really love this movie, and I really love this book.

I think if you've read the book, it somehow makes the movie ever better. It's like you know a little secret about the characters that other people don't.

Fair warning though, if you haven't read the book, it is good but much more graphic than the movie.

Memoirs of a Geisha

Wonderful book. Confusing movie.

I first saw this with a friend who hadn't read the book, and if I hadn't read it, we both would have been totally lost. If you have background knowledge of it, I guess it makes sense. But bottom line, whether or not you see the movie, read the book and read it first.

White Oleander

This is possibly my favorite book of all time.

And the movie just doesn't do the book any sort of justice.

Read this book.

P.S. I Love You

Unpopular opinion: I hate this movie.

I never even made it through the whole thing.

I was given the book as a Christmas gift years before it was ever a movie, and I stayed up all night Christmas Eve reading till I finished it, and I think I cried the entire time.

It is BEAUTIFUL book, everyone should read it.

And this movie...I can't even. 

I could go on and on about other adaptations (The Life Before Her Eyes, Never Let Me Go, etc.) or rant about how I'm scared they're going to ruin some of my favorite books in the future (The Host, Delirium, Before I Fall) but we'd be here all day. 

I guess taking something I love and trying to put it on film makes me nervous, because of things like this :)

Have you seen/read any of these? Do you agree? What are some of your favorite and least favorite adaptations?

my dad is going to kill me.

My poor, sweet father shares a Netflix account with me.

And if he logged on today, this is what he surely saw:

I'm screwing up the recommendations Netflix gives him, big time.

I'll never forget the time he called me to complain about it:

"Abbi, Netflix would like to offer me suggestions about what to watch that is similar to Hannah Montana, season 3. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

And this weekend, my roommates and I had a much deserved girl's night, which actually just turned into girl's weekend.

(We just finished Bride Wars, up next is The Holiday.)

So we watched a lot of things that are not exactly Dad material.

I'm expecting a call any minute now:

"Abbi, why are Tangled and Jesus Christ Superstar now in our instant queue?"

Those folks over at Netflix are going to think my dad is gay.

Oops.

reading like a mad man.

Lately, I have been devouring books like nobody's business.

(Not literally, that would be weird. And also gross, paper tastes bad.)

First was Divergent, which I physically could not put down. Except for the one time I threw it across the room because I was so angry. And y'all, it made me feel feelings. 

Then I read Anna and the French Kiss, which I think everyone should read. It's great. Great in that horrible way that makes you hate your life because your life is not that book.

Then, Lola and the Boy Next Door, the companion to Anna and the French Kiss. Also completely wonderful.

And then, on Wednesday, I read Crossed. 

If you read Lauren's blog, (which, why wouldn't you?) I'm sure you have already seen her spectacular post on it. 

I thought Divergent made me feel feelings?

No.

Crossed made me feel all the feelings.

As in, sweet Lauren and I exchanged over 200 texts in one day about Crossed. 

So...if you haven't read it, go read Matched, then read Crossed.

And now, I'm searching for my next book.

Do you have any suggestions, dear readers?

What have you been reading lately?

I'll read anything and everything. 

PS. Wow, can you tell I like YA lit?

being creepy.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm too creepy.

This is a conversation I feel like I am constantly having with the friends I've made online.

I started reading blogs religiously my freshman year of college, when I didn't have a blog or a tumblr or even a bloglovin account. 

I just bookmarked them on my computer (I had over 150 saved) and every day I would read them.

And I remember the first time I told someone I knew in real life about something I read on someone's blog, I used the words "my friend."

And inwardly I thought, "Who do I think I am? I don't know this person, and they have no idea who I am. Tone it down, psycho."

I also remember the first time I tweeted something to a blogger I followed. 

I panicked, hoping they wouldn't block/report me to twitter because they didn't know me and I had tried to contact them. 

The same with the first time I ever emailed a blogger, but that was anxiety x10000.

But you know what?

I have never received anything but unbelievably kind messages back. 

And now I am proud to call some of those people my very best friends in the world.

And when I started getting a few messages from people I didn't know, I was ecstatic.

I think in the blogging world, we tend to start every comment and message with "Not to be creepy, but..."

And I get why we do it. People have different reactions, and we don't want Chris Hansen banging down our door, questioning our motives while the cops wait outside with handcuffs, ready to tackle us if we run.

But you know what else?

I don't think we're being shady.

Part of writing a blog is putting yourself out there for others to read it.

That's what the comment button is for.

Now, if you watch the person who walks past your house every day from the window, and then go put a letter in their mailbox telling them all the things you like about them, that might be crossing a line.

Also, don't:

"great pics. that sweater looks sexy. follow back?"

(If you have instagram, you know what I'm talking about. There are some major weirdos on there.)

So next time you go to write a complementary email or comment, skip the "Hope I'm not being creepy..."

(Unless you really are being creepy.)

I have now typed the word creepy so many times that it's starting to look weird.