In love with a teenage vampire

I just spent the last two weeks of my life obsessed with the impossible and tragic love story of a teen vampire. It all started with Facebook and the constant and passionate mentions of Twilight. My curiousity was piqued, but I was still sane and scoffed at the premise of a girl and vampire falling in love and fighting against all odds to be together...Forever...PUHLEEZE!!!

Then, Radley brought the book home from the library because, though we had never talked about this strange phenomenon occuring amongst the Facebook youth, he too was wondering what all the fuss was about. He just overcame any shame a grown adult would be facing in checking out the book (well, not really--he can check it out to himself from the school library and remain incognito). Anyway, the book sat around for awhile. But eventually, I decided that I would just find out what all the hype was over and read it--at least the first few pages before I got so irritated or embarassed of what I was reading that I tossed it aside...

Now I'm only slightly chagrined to admit this: I read the entire 4-book saga (each one, comparable to the thickness of a Harry Potter novel) with white-knuckled intensity. I rushed through each day so that I could get to the part of the evening where the kids were in bed and I could settle in to read for at least 4 more hours. I literally had to force myself to put the book down at midnight or 1 am. Radley would come up to the room, see my enraptured expressions and chuckle. I didn't care. Let him poke fun! It was the most fun I've had reading in--ever! Even when I was just starting a book, I was already sad knowing it was going to have to end. Anyway, Radley did eventually read the first book when I would let it go, and even he admitted the writing was intense (though he thought the story was "stupid"--Whatever!) So, I was trying to drag out the last book in the saga (though I really couldn't) and was just dreading the idea of the story being over for me. And now, it is. And I'm sad that that experience is over. It was a great escape from the stress I've been immersed in lately. But at least the ending was satisfying and I did feel a sense of closure. So I can move on. With bittersweet memories of my Twilight experience. And if you're laughing at me and/or rolling your eyes at my love of the teenage vampire love story...I dare you to read it and resist the transformation from rational, sensible grown-up to giddy, guilible teenager falling in love with a teenage vampire...