What I’ve learned from Twilight by UnintendedChoice

I’m kicking off our day of last LTT letters ever (yes, this day has come). Moon’s post will be up at 10 am and you can catch our last, joint letter at 12 pm ET.

Dear Twilight,

As I’ve thought about you coming to an end, the transition of LTT to That’s Normal and this chapter closing in my life, I’ve been reflecting on how much I’ve changed over the past few years and what I’ve learned.

Here are a few examples:

I gained 5 pounds. Let’s say that’s from stress-eating during all the “ARE THEY AREN’T THEY DOING IT ON THE BEAR-SKIN RUG” questioning I’ve done. Back when this started I was the most perfect age of 25, now I’m about to turn 30 and will cease to exist (<– yep I’m being that girl). When we started all this I had short hair and now my hair is long. Thats all. That’s the only way I’ve changed.

No that’s just the superficial stuff- I’ve changed big time on a deeper level. I think back to UC in 2008– and I’m much more confident. In the past I wasn’t a risk-taker. These days… I’m less afraid of risks & the unknown. LTT has taught me so many things about what I’m good at (and NOT good at) and I know a ton more than I ever realized! My job changed because of LTT. I actually get paid to do marketing online which is a skill I learned mostly from running a blog.

I’ve learned that some of the (okay a lot of the) Twilight fans are weird. Really weird. But everyone comes to Twilight with a story- and that theme is the same. “I had a hard time in life & Twilight picked me up. Twilight reminded me of love or better days. Twilight introduced me to people who got me through.” And that is not weird. That’s beautiful.

I’ve made countless friends online. I used to think only weirdos met online, but I was wrong. Normal, amazing, exciting, talented and beautiful people meet online. And I’m so glad they do because I now have friends all over the world!

My beautiful LTT friends from Belgium.. right before we had drinks at TGIFridays in NYC!

I met some famous people– and my most favorite meeting by far was meeting Stephenie Meyer. I still remember the day she gave LTT a shout out on her blog like it was yesterday. And then the day when we got the email from her assistant-life handler Meghan inviting us to interview her- I can remember where I was standing when I called Moon. And meeting Stephenie for the first time was an incredible experience- because she was so normal and down-to-earth. And liked us. I still don’t understand it! I liked Stephenie before I met her because she created this world I love so dearly, but I like her even more now that I’ve met her, hugged her and got to apologize for nick-naming her husband after Mexican food. Stephenie has always treated us like we’re old pals catching up over drinks (virgin for her!) at The Olive Garden.

Oh yeah… plus once Moon leg hitched her and I made that TERRIBLE face..

I met others with similar stories When LTT began I was coming out of a really dark place– I shared my story on our 1st anniversary. But I have years that I don’t remember before Twilight. And LTT was my distraction– a distraction that aided my healing.

One of the biggest surprises with LTT was meeting as many people as I have that have lost parents– I feel especially close to girls who have lost their mothers when they were far too young too, but losing a parent long before their time is so similar no matter the circumstance. My life has been enriched by these amazing women.

I have an incredibly supportive husband who not only tolerated the many many hours and late nights and bursts of laughter from the other room and screams of joy (and sometimes horror) over things he’ll never really understand, but embraced LTT. He came with me to midnight showings, he made drinks for our parties, he met, entertained and came to love so many of my LTT friends. Very few husbands would be as supportive as Mr. Choice has been, and I’m a very lucky girl!

Moon and I are stuck together forever. Moon and I were friends before this– we loved chatting online about old school memories or making fun of stuff we both loved to hate, but I can’t imagine LTT with anyone but her. LTT wouldn’t exist with anyone but her. We went from friends who probably would have seen each other a few times over our lifetimes to close friends who feel weird when we go more than a day without talking.

My love for Moon is as much as I can fit in this little bottle… (that’s a lot.)

Moon is one of my dearest and closest friends- we have memories together that no one else has. We’ve had moments of just looking at each other as if to say “Is this our life?” and know the other one gets it. She truly is my Twi-soulmate, and no matter if we give up on TN (not happening!) and life sweeps us up and keeps us from our daily chats, I know that we will forever be able to pick up the phone or grab endless breadsticks and reminisce about this life-changing experience we both went through together.

And You. I could gush over you forever and forever. Yes you. And I did. But Moon and I are going to share that part together in our joint letter.

So for one last time. Thank you, Twilight. For everything.

Love,
UnintendedChoice

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An LTT update

Dear LTT,

As I was pondering what to write today: Do I complain about the Bruno Mars song I HATE (Moon was Way too nice) or write a list of “48 things to do in the next 48 days before Breaking Dawn’s release?” I got side-tracked & starting thinking about HOW MUCH life has changed in the almost Three (YES THREE) years we’ve been blogging about Twilight. Then I thought “UC, that’s not interesting. No one wants to hear you talk about how different your life is these days.” But then I played devil’s advocate with myself because… well, is that true? LTT isn’t like every other Twilight blog out there. We don’t post about news & facts and call it a day. We give our opinions (sometimes very strong ones) and infuse our “letters” with our personalities. And whether you guys realize it or not, you’ve kinda gotten to know us over the years. I mean… I think we’re friends… right? Internet friends who would never confess in public how we know each other, but friends still! I love reading your emails (yes, even if it takes me weeks and months to respond) and enjoy learning bits & pieces about you as we converse. And so.. maybe you DO actually care about where our lives have taken us…. Maybe. And if you don’t.. well, come back Monday. We’ll complain about something from Twilight again!

Year One: The year of FIRSTS

I was thinking about how that first year (2008-2009) of Twilight was so obsessive. It was the year of “firsts.” First Breaking it Down Vanity Fair Style, first trips to the premiere, first seeing Rob in person, first videos made together with Moon & UC in the same room. It was always exciting & always fresh & always new.. If you were around back then, you might remember reading what our first year meant to both Moon & Myself. And get your tissues out to re-watch the video Moon made for our 1st anniversary:

Who ARE all you people?

Year Two: It got BIG!

And then Year 2 came. And it was insane. Everything went to the next level. The laughs were bigger, the blog fights were more passionate, the excitement was HUGE- and if I remember correctly we had like 50 or 60 people (most of whom were internet turned REAL-LIFE friends) at the Eclipse Midnight showing. Friendships that started online turned into this real, deep meaningful relationships, many of which I’m sure I’ll have for the rest of my life (aw!) and… oh yeah, I almost forgot: We met Stephenie Meyer. A moment neither one of us will EVER forget. Year two was…. exhausting…

Year Three: Toning it down

COME ON! This is funny!!

And so this year for us has been a bit different. Not only has the fandom really split which is hard to navigate sometimes (can’t people JOKE anymore!) but the actors aren’t acting (together anyway) and there is SUCH a long break between Eclipse and Breaking Dawn 1! Moon & I have kinda just adopted the attitude of “We’ll blog when we want to.” Which means we sometimes blog less…. But our excitement grows EVERY DAY knowing that Breaking Dawn is so close we can almost taste it. It’s like we’re vampires.. and there are humans nearby.. or something.

But the changes for the actors & the series & the fandom in Year 3 has kinda fit with where Moon & I are personally….. we’re… busy. A lot busier than we used to be.

The one where I use my blog as an excuse to make a list about my life so I don’t forget something important

I’ve been trying to figure out what I want to do with my life for about…. 28 years, so I’ve recently recently taken on the role as the social media strategist for a marketing & branding agency on top of my full-time job. Yes- my “experience” (among other things) is “I run a successful Twilight Blog. Hire me.” Funny, isn’t it? So: for example it’s 11:35 pm on Thursday evening right now: I got to work at 9 am this morning, left at 6:30, came home, starting working for a client at 8:30 and finished at 11:05. I’ll be blind by the age of 37 from staring at a computer screen, but (maybe) I’ll be happy having helped someone learn how to “tweet.”

The one where Mr. Choice's picture is on LTT for the first time ever

Mr. Choice & I made the “Big move” into Philadelphia early last summer & we love the city. And there’s always something to do. Sometimes I drink on Tuesday nights. I know. So rebellious. Speaking of Mr. Choice.. he started pursuing his music career full time about a year ago (he’s a film music & digital media composer. And he’s good. I’d say that even if I wasn’t sleeping with him)

Plus I started running. Which is HUGE because I’m a pretty unhealthy person. I feel amazing. And energized. Which is good since I don’t really have time to sleep. And I love cats. So… basically….I am a cat lover & I love to run.

I miss Moon

And Moon? What about Moon you ask? Well, I’m going to bug her to give you an update. Because HER life changes every day. and you know what’s sad? We don’t even have time to TALK every day anymore! We literally went YEARS talking at least once, and usually more, every day. To go a day or a WEEKEND without talking now is…. common.

And as much as I miss the daily contact (counting down the days till I sleep next to her again in November!), it’s kinda nice…. because… well, we’re happy. And for so long.. we both weren’t.. And talking and blogging & getting to know all of you was what MADE us happy. But now we’re happy, even outside of that.. and it’s a beautiful thing.

So I like Year 3. Year 3 is a happy year. What will Year 4 bring? Maybe I’ll figure out what I want to do with my life, get another cat, run a 1/2 marathon, hug Big Daddy & find world peace.

Fingers crossed!

Love,
UnintendedChoice

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Twilight eats the month of June (and spits out a SUPERFAN) Part 1

Dear month of June,

I wondered where you went. And then I remembered. You went to Twilight.

First there was that time we met Stephenie Meyer which was kinda cool. I mean meeting a sort-of-hero, someone who inspired us to be who we’ve become, reason we’ve gotten through many of the days for the past year and 1/2? Yeah…. no biggie. We made some videos. Try not to love us too much:

After the epic meeting I put on a new shirt (Thanks Moon!) hopped on a red eye flight home to Philadelphia where I arrived at 6 am. Then I packed some final boxes because friends & family showed up at 8 am to move us ah hour away. I have no recollection of that day.

But I love British Boys....

Oh WAIT, before the British shirt & the red eye & the moving, Moon & I laid at the pool & wrote an article for CREME magazine in New Zealand. They are a teen magazine with whom we’ve become friendly & they wanted to hear about our experience with Stephenie. More on that later.

After 6 days in my new house, it was time to put on my SUPERFAN face. Basically a few weeks prior I got a phone call from my roommate from college who runs Urlesque.com which is owned by AOL which owns Moviefone.com. Moviefone was doing some secret Twilight events, one is in Philly. Did I want to go!? HECK YES! Then she said she could probably get me involved. Would I like to be? HECK YES. Somehow, I end up becoming a SUPERFAN which was actually QUITE fun- I got to interview Jackson Rathbone! SUPERFAN WHAT!?

I was worried about what to wear to interview Jackson. I tried this on but it didn’t seem right….

I dragged along some friends and my sister, who I made promise wouldn’t embarrass me, thought that getting a wolfpck tattoo would hold up her end of the bargain (Which I called The Cullen Crest- #FanFail)

Funny story- after the Jackson deal we went to an art show at a loft down the street from my house in Philly- the artist complimented my sister & her friends on their tattoos & asked if they were FRIENDSHIP tattoos. She thought they were real. As any regular LTT reader would know, you’re supposed to respond, “yes, yes that is a friendship tattoo” but noooo she admitted they were wolfpack tattoos & confessed I was a SUPERFAN.

But first this happened after the jump: Continue…

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Become friends with UC & Moon: See Rob. And other stuff…

Oh hai there 8 pack, only 63 days until your birthday too. Take that Chris Hansen!)

Yep- you’re seeing this right. This is our second post of the day AGAIN! (See the first here) We asked a few of our readers turned real-life friends to talk about what LTT/LTR means to them. Today is Chelsea’s turn!

Dear Bunny & Noreen (aka I won’t give away your real names),

Congratulations on making it to the one year mark! A Happy Birthday of sorts.

I wish I could say that I was one of your OG’s (Old Girls, the ones who have been a part of it since the start) but as things are, I joined on pretty close to the start. I don’t know when or how I came across your lovely blog, but I know it was pretty early on. I used to do some stuff for Will over at NewMoonMovie, and I remember seeing you mentioned on his site, I also think I stumbled upon you one day with StumbleUpon, (or ADD for the interwebs as I like to call it.) But I digress.

Bet I can make that Kitty Meow

The important thing is, I found you. Angles sang. The clouds parted and the snark began to flow. Suddenly, LTT and LTR became a part of my everyday routine. I had to check it each day to see what new pearl of sarcasm had been dropped. Finally! People who thought about the same weird things in the books! Who also found the same things ridonkulously cheesy in the film as I did!

And the Friendship begins!

Thanks to Bunny and Noreen, I’ve made a ton of new friends too. And not just the invisible kind! The first time I met up with anyone from LTT/LTR was at a Sam Bradley show up in LA. It was myself, my friend Lauren, Vicky, Aja, and Noreen herself. Zomg I was so excited to meet ½ of the awesomeness behind LTT & LTR! (Cause you two are totes Awesome) Sam was fun, we laughed at all of the girls there *cough Goth Maria VonTrapp cough*, spotted Decoy Rob, and I asked Sam Bradley out and totes scared him away.  (Moon’s story from that night)

From then on things just got worse. I went to ComicCon with Moon and the other girls in July. I may have bitten her when Rob walked on stage because I was so excited.

I laughed so hard putting those little red ribbons on everyone!

Through Moon I met Ashley, who is totes my BFF now. I also got to be a part of the fabulous #LALadies gathering this November for the New Moon Premiere. (Insert pic of us at theater in front of the eclipse poster, cause I don’t have that one either) These women, whom I knew only from Twitter and the Forum, are now my friends. People I count on and look forward to talking to, even if it is just a quick “Hi!” on twitter. Carter, Lili, Val, Kristy, Jess, Jena, Phyllis, Jen, Darja, Moon, UC, Cynthia, Emily, and anyone I may have left out! You are all my friends, whether you like it or not!

Letters to Twilight and Letters to Rob have become a pretty big part of my life, not just the blog, but everything and everyone that surrounds it. I see these girls almost every weekend now. We have sleepovers. We do stuff that isn’t Twi-related at all…but not often. We made friends with the paparazzi who may or may not tell us where Rob is staying so we can casually have brunch at his hotel in hopes of running into him.

So yeah, Bunny & Noreen, UC & Moon, thank you for all that you do in the name of Letters to Twilight. Here’s to making the next year even better!

Let’s Do This!

Chelsea

Follow Chelsea on Twitter!

Thanks, Chels! We love you and are so glad our crazy little blog brought you into our life! And I (UC) am so glad I finally got to hug you in person this past November! I still think those other shoes looked better with that dress though.. 🙂 jk jk jk XO

Don’t forget this is our 2nd-post of the day! I know, we’re crazytimes this week. Read the first one below (or here if you like to click) Don’t miss it. There’s a Giveaway (yes, another!) Let’s say it together: “They’re NOT Bears!”

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Breaking down my Twilight memories

Dear Twilight,

Wow… you have really changed my life. I’ve been doing a lot of self reflecting this week since it’s our anniversary week, and I’ve been thinking back to a year ago at the start of it all. Moon & I are extremely bummed that we can’t locate that very first chat we had on 12/8/08 when we decided to start the blogs, but in my searching for that first conversation, I’ve come across a gem. Way back on 11/25/2008, Moon was going through her first read of the Twilight saga, and I was SO excited to finally have a friend to discuss the series with! I laughed re-reading this conversation, realizing how far we’ve come, how much we’ve changed and yet, how little has really changed! I’m gonna stop talking about it and instead, I’m gonna break down one of the first conversations Moon & I ever had about Twilight… vanity fair style!

My “Break down” is italicized between the lines of conversation and it’s green. Green is (what?) GOOD

Someday will cover our faces with that ribbon...

Losing Moon’s virginity

UC: oh miss Moon HI! did you read my blog yet? My review on Twilight the movie? because I forgot you didn’t finish book 3… *spoiler alert*
Book 3? Really UC? No one calls it that. It’s Eclipse
Moon: Thats where I just clicked on! About to read it!
UC: NOOO Stop! Until you finish the series…. I don’t want to give it away!!!
Moon: But I’m halfway through Eclipse? Don’t read it?
UC: Don’t- just because I give away my favorite part!! A part you’ll love
It involves the guy who runs around in jorts warming up the heart-breaker in a tent while the cold one looks on!
Moon: Oh man! I can’t wait. I didn’t read any last nite because I wanted to save it for the plane tonight!!
What? Moon? Is that you? The one who has been tempted to read my blog posts before they post in the morning and has been known to sneak in fanfic at opportune times- like during work or while at church? You WAITED for Eclipse!?
UC: oh yay! Good Idea
You sound 12, UC, saying “Yay” like that. Plus that’s not a good idea
UC: I forgot how good Eclipse was! I think I might read the last 1/2 again before I start Breaking Dawn 🙂 I’m such a loser/really awesome
The phrase you’re looking for is “That’s Normal”
Moon: TOTALLY awesome.
Welcome to the 80s
Moon: yea I’m LOVING Eclipse- might be favorite
It stays your favorite
Moon: Then I’ll probably get Breaking Dawn this week sometime
You’ll try, but every store will be out of it. So you’ll look hopelessly for a week

The one where we prophecize

UC: How long will you be at home with your parents? Until Sunday?
Moon: Monday I come back- decided to make a vacay out of it
UC: nice!!
Moon: stalk stephenie meyer
UC: Oh yay! She lives there, I forgot!
Oh UC… next thing you’ll tell me you don’t know Rob Pattinson’s middle name.
Moon: It’s so sad but I’m so hoping for some odd reason I see her
That hope never dies
Moon: I’ve regressed to age 14 and I’m ok with it
That’s (still) Normal
UC: haha I would want to see her too! And I know what you mean I’m seriously going crazy. I’m only listening to the soundtrack and I keep repeating songs
You’ll do that for another 6 months. You’ll never play that Perry Ferrell song you thought you’d learn to like ever again
Moon: Dude the soundtrack is killing me
Dude- Just wait until New Moon’s soundtrack. You’ll wanna kill yourself
UC: So my review of the movie is VERY similar to yours (I didn’t read yours until after I wrote mine) Except.. I added my opinions of seeing it a 2nd time which was PERFECT because I loved it even more
Moon: yea I’m thinking I need to see it again away from little girls
UC: Yes. it was SO different
Moon: I think I’ll be able to focus on it and not wonder what’s next and stop worrying about the cheesy special FX and enjoy
You won’t stop worrying about the cheesy FX because they don’t stop being cheesy
UC: right- I def. wasn’t focused first time around. [My husband] Mr. Choice didn’t think it was cheesy at all (the diamonds)
The what? Diamonds? Do you mean the sparkles? Oh UC….
UC: he said if it was anything more, he thinks it would’ve been cheesy.
He’s wrong. It was cheesy
UC: I could’ve used some more sparkle myself. Spoiler alert for my review. He LOVED it
Moon: Every dude or person who didn’t read the books really liked it
Is every ‘dude or person” you know a family member of Catherine Hardwicke? [side note: this was during the phase when Moon called every guy a dude]
UC: I know!
Moon: so I think it’s just the diehards who are trying to reconcile the whole thing to whatever they imagined
UC: He said it’s a shame it’s the teen demographic because it’s not going to get the credit and attention it deserves for being a really kick-a movie
Hahahaha UC print that out and remind Mr. Choice DAILY that he once said that. He won’t believe you….
Moon: EXACTLY! So many people are like that’s a YA novel. I’m like SO WHAT?!
Preach it
Moon: If they got a different director and some kick ass CGI/FX this could contend with the summer blockbusters- it’s supernatural
Preeeacch it!
UC: and the actors were soo good!
Uh… who do you mean? Jessica and Mike? And sometimes Rob?
Moon: It could be put it in there with Batman and stuff
Uh, what? Continue…

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