50 things to do before I die

I have been in some kind of mid-life crisis for a few weeks now. Unlike most people I know who are in crisis because they still have to find themselves at 30, I was in crisis more because I know who I am, and exactly what I will be, in probably the next 20 years. In a way, it's good because there is very little uncertainty in my life but in a lot of ways it's very scary to think that for the next 20 years I will still be what I am now (if I don't fuck anything up). Am I really content with my life?

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining about my life. My life is good. I guess stability just doesn't go well with my character. I am a passionate, obsessive woman who gets bored faster than you can say "bored". I have a need to win and to conquer, to explore new possibilities and to bravely go where no one has gone before. Stability is so boring.

As therapy, I have decided to list 50 things that I want to do before I die (originally, I wanted 100 but I can't think enough things). I also listed stuff which I have already done to be fair to myself (well, I have been trying to make my dreams come true the past 30 years). So here it goes:

1. Go to Egypt and see the pyramids;
2. Go to Paris;
3. Write a bestselling novel;
4. Own my dream house;
5. Tour the Philippines;
6. Go to California;
7. Go to New York;
8. Learn German;
9. Learn French;
10. Learn to drive;
11. Be 42.0 kilos;
12. Get a Master's degree;
13. Learn to dive;
14. Dye my hair blond;
15. Run a marathon;
16. Get toned abs;
17. Dine in a really expensive restaurant;
18. Stay in a really expensive hotel for a weekend;
19. Go around the world for a year;
20. Make peace with an ex
21. Own a dog;
22. Adopt a homeless child;
23. Offer a college scholarship grant;
24. Ride a camel ;
25. Have a nude artistic photograph of myself;
26. Fall in love;
27. Give a speech in public;
28. Have a blog/website;
29. Go to Rome;
30. Own a house on the beach;
31. Get married;
32. Have a child;
33. Go to Thailand;
34. Go to London;
35. See the Grand Canyon;
36. Live in my dream house;
37. Climb a mountain;
38. Learn to ski;
39. Learn to swim;
40. Have sex on the beach;
41. Plant a tree;
42. Contribute to charity;
43. Own a Mercedes Benz;
44. Be a millionaire;
45. Have a home with a library;
46. Get an MBA;
47. Cut my hair really short;
48. Have a published scientific paper;
49. Publish a book or a book chapter;
50. Travel around Europe in a mobile home.

Books: Crazy over Twilight

I was not at all interested in "Twilight" until last Sunday. I knew about the book but I thought that I was too old for the teenage vampire crap. Don't get me wrong, I love vampire books and movies (well, some of it). I have a collection of "The Vampire Chronicles" by Anne Rice. Throughout my teenage years and early twenties, I was in-love with the Vampire Lestat. My fascination with vampires is my guilty secret.

Not knowing how to survive a 9-hour flight from Philadelphia to Zurich, I took action. I decided to read "Twilight" because I thought it would be an easy read. I finished the book about an hour before we landed and I went out of the plane addicted. Like a vampire that thirsted for blood, I needed to get the rest of the books.

After reading the entire saga (in 2 1/2 days), it can be confirmed that I am thoroughly infatuated with Edward Cullen. Sigh.

Photo from www. starpulse.com

Even though I have several issues with the story, like how a 91 year old vampire can have issues about premarital sex, the story of the "Twilight Saga" (keeping in mind that they were written for teenagers) is engrossing. The books are very addictive because Stephanie Meyer did two things very well, first was her characterization of Edward and second how she developed Edward and Bella's love story in Twilight and New Moon.

Seriously, even though the books read very simply, Meyer was very successful in making readers fall in love with Edward. As I read Twilight, I felt like I was going through the process of falling in love with him like Bella. I felt it in my heart. Vice-versa in "New Moon", I felt the agony of a broken heart (it was just like I remembered it) as Edward left Bella.

Eclipse was okay. It was not a love story anymore. Somehow, Meyer had to kill off Victoria. Victoria could have been developed more as a character. I would have loved to know more about her. Finally in Breaking dawn, Bella and Edward consummated their relationship (after marrying, of course)and Bella was turned into a vampire.

I also read a draft of Midnight Sun which I got from Stephenie Meyer's website. Okay, it is unfinished but I hope that if she does finish it, she will develop Edward's character better. It's good that he is mysterious in Twilight but in Eclipse he should be deeper and more sensible because Midnight Sun is from his perspective.

I think the movie is terrible. It completely missed the best part: it failed to develop the part where Edward and Bella fell in love. Robert Pattinson's acting was awkward although I have to admit that he resembled how I imagined Edward to look like. Kirsten Stewart is too rough to be Bella. Bella should have been more feminine. Maybe "New Moon" would be better considering that the director is different. Let's hope so. It is sad to see a good story massacred.

Well, I don't know until when my "Twilight" fascination will last but for now, I have to admit, I am crazy over "Twilight".

Twilight Edward+Cullen Twilight+Saga Stephenie+Meyer Robert+Pattinson