NovaAlbion Checking In

[NovaAlbion]

How did you pick your screen name?
Like many others, I brought it over from the Harry Potter forums. I wanted something with a regional flavor, something with a bit of history, if a bit obscure. At the time (remember - HP), I wanted something with an English nuance. When Sir Francis Drake, the English adventurer under Queen Elizabeth I, explored the northern California coast, he claimed it for the crown and named it Nova Albion, which is Latin for "New Britain" or "New England" . The bonus touch of irony is that it is on the wrong coast.


How did you come to read Twilight and which book is your favorite?
Early in the summer of 2007, while waiting for the opening of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I was looking for something new to read. While I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, I wasn't particularly interested in anything in the "vampire" genre. I've tried, but I've never been able to identify with murderers. Nor do I normally rely on Andrew Simms for literary recommendations. He mentioned Twilight on Mugglenet and the recommendation was seconded by Laura. It was also recommended, as I recall, on Pottercast by Melissa and John (the latter of which is also of dubious value).

It took me a couple of weeks to get it from the library as there was, in retrospect no surprise, a waiting list. I blew through it. Twice. The wait for New Moon took me well past the release date of Eclipse. There was a huge waiting list. Finally, I got it and read it twice. I couldn't wait for Eclipse (I think there were a couple hundred on the wait list), so I broke down and bought it. I have them all now, including Breaking Dawn.


Who do you like best: Edward, Bella, or Jacob?
Bella. My Y chromosome, the appropriately related hormones and standard opposite-gender attraction make it difficult for me to fixate on either Jacob or Edward with the same degree of enthusiasm that many of the double-Xers do. While intellectually I can appreciate their various characteristics, there is not the same emotional connection that many of the fans exhibit.

On the other hand, Bella demonstrates or expresses may of the characteristics and feelings that I had in high school. While I did play sports (football and wrestling), I wasn't very good at it, being slow and clumsy. Yes, even then I was a bookworm. Academically, I could have done better. While I did okay, I didn't put the work in necessary to be at the top of the class. While I had friends, they were mostly through church. It wasn't that I was anti-social, it was more non-social, insecure and shy. I got along well enough with young women, but any girl I really liked terrified me. And they weren't even vampires! (Shakes, stuttering and an attraction-repulsion cycle that was quite mental. It made Bella's relationship with Edward seem quite straight forward.)


Who is your favorite minor character?
I like Seth a lot. It seems to me that he demonstrates a lot of loyalty. I liked the way his friendship with Edward developed. I was particularly impressed by Edward's remarks to Jacob about the kindness and purity of Seth's mind. And he's seen a lot of minds.

As a father, I can really relate to Charlie. As imperfect as you are, you try to do your best for children, to teach them, to protect them. You want them to be happy and to develop those characteristics that will help them be happy in the long run. This sometimes means that the both of you are unhappy, especially with each other, in the short run. (Apparently, I was able to channel my inner Charlie well enough to take 2nd place at the local Borders Mid-Night release party for Breaking Dawn.)

Another very interesting minor character is Lizzie (from the Seattle park with Jacob) Am I the only one that thinks that this could be a cameo appearance of a young Stephenie Meyer or one of her sisters?


What are your hobbies?
Reading (Duh!) - and thinking about what I have read, various church activities including Boy Scouts, skiing (Alpine), hiking and, recently, writing.

A couple of friends and I are starting a Twilight Saga related podcast called "Voices In My Head". Episode 1 should be out soon. Watch for it.


Where are you from (general area like Montana, not exact town!)
Let's see. I've already talked about northern California in relation to my user name and Concord, California is in my profile. I suppose I could give my exact Latitude and Longitude.

How old are you? (In general, like teen, 20's, 30's, 40's etc)
Let's just say that I am way out on the right side of the demographic bell curve. In the question, my decade is covered by the "etc".


Anything else you would like to share.
My posts tend to be relatively few but very long, somewhat detailed. I had quite a few on the Lexicon wiped out in the great hack attack of August 2008.

I have a couple of fanfics up - one is complete and the other is a work in progress.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4332809/1/Out_Of_The_Blue
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4239728/1/S ... ire_Slayer (Complete)

[Katwomankath]

Welcome back NovaAlbion,
It is nice to see other more mature members on here. I too had a bunch of posts lost during the change over. Mostly gutter posts.
Kat

[Bella_Cullen_13]

Hey! So, Despite what I wrote, I came back for a short time. Oh how do I miss those super long posts that put everyone else to shame!

Did you ever count up how many theories you actually had right? (She had the most reasoning out of everyone)

I think the post count is the least of my concern. I had stuff saved in my PM savebox.

[Goodnight Elizabeth]

Welcome back to the Lex, NovaAlbion. I'm surprised I hadn't met you before the Great Hack of August 2008 (great term coinage by the way), but then again, I did tend to lurk around the Gutter more than what was necessary.

Judging by your lengthy, and pleasantly articulate newbie post (and the English teacher within me smiles), I missed out on some fascinating posts. This saddens me.

Since you are an adult over the age of 25, you should drop in on us at the Gutter sometime. It's truly not all women gushing about Edward. We have been known to have intellectual conversations every now and again. If not, PM me sometime.

See you around the boards!

[Feathers]

I agree with GNE! Come frolic in the gutter! I think you might enjoy it; if the dirtier side of it isn't your style; you can always try the Heavenly Hash forums if you didn't post over there already. (I'm a gutter girl myself.
Welcome back!

<3 Ren

[bittenbyEdwardCullen]

Hi and welcome back to the Lexicon! My name is Alyssa. Feel free to PM me whenever. See you around the boards!

[nissanmama]

Welcome Back to the home of the happily obsessed. Like GNE, I'm surprised I didn't know you. Us "older" folk need to stick together! Hope to see you around the boards!

[darkrider]

HOLA NOVA! feel free to pm me if you wanna chit chat- I'M FRIENDLY! =]]]

-Dark(Meteor's twin)

[NovaAlbion]

Did you ever count up how many theories you actually had right? (She had the most reasoning out of everyone)

I haven't done a total recap but here is what I posted for my Theories Summary.

Breaking Dawn Predictions Summary
Posted: July 13, 2008

The time for waffling is over. Stand and declare. No more hidding behind probabilities and possibilities. I hate this. Accountability - the first step toward responsibility.

Bri53 Wrote:

So since the boards are closing soon, I though it would be nice to do a review of everyone’s theories on these popular topics. Briefly answer the following:

Will Bella become a vampire? (yes or no?) Yes

Running Total: 1 of 1

Will Jacob imprint/find love? If yes, who will it be? Yes, one of the three Denali sisters

Half - I was one of those that was convinced that Edward could not father a child, even on a human Bella. I was correct in the sense that I strongly suspected that he would imprint on a vampire (half-vampire that is).

Running Total: 1.5 of 2

Do you think Bella and Edward will successfully have sex while Bella is human? (yes or no?) Yes

Running Total: 2.5 of 3

Where do you think Edward will (is planning to) take Bella on her honeymoon? Seattle - for one night, then back to the Cullens' house for support for the big change.

I don't feel bad about missing this. There wasn't any foreshadowing of a private island off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

Running Total: 2.5 of 4

Will the wedding go smoothly? Yes

Running Total: 3.5 of 5

If Bella becomes a vampire, do you think Bella will handle the blood lust well? In whose opinion? She will have some struggles but will handle it fairly well. She will join Carlisle and Rosalie as the family's blood "virgins". But she will fret over every temptation or impulse or momentary loss of control.

Running Total: 4.5 of 6

What do you think the After car will be like? Audi coupe

Again, I don't feel bad. While Edward can change his mind, he did say that he thought that she'd like an Audi coupe. Still, the after car is a "fine Italian sports car".

Running Total: 4.5 of 7

Will we see the Volturi? (yes or no?) Yes

Running Total: 5.5 of 8

Will we see the Denali coven? (yes or no?) Yes

Running Total: 6.5 of 9

Will Jacob come back? How soon? To Forks - Yes, just prior to the big battle, about 3/4 the way into the book.

Half - as part of my imprinting on a Denali theory, I expected the imprinting drama to happen before his return to Forks rather than his being there for the whole Bella's pregnancy bit.

Running Total: 7 of 10

Do you think werewolves can imprint on vampires? (yes or no?) Yes

Running Total: 8 of 11

Do you think Jake will? Yes

Running Total: 9 of 12 (Yes, I know she is only half vampire. I still claim full score.)

Do you think someone will die? Who? Yes - I don't know exactly. Prime candidates (in no particular order) - Sam, Leah, Rosalie (peace to tormented soul theory), some undetermined members of the Volturi guard, one or more of the five Volturi.

Half - I wasn't expecting Irina to earn more Ugh! points. Or to be used to provoke a battle. (Actually, I think if Caius was successful in provoking the battle, the Volturi would have lost massively. Jane, Alec and Chelsea negated, the fighters blinded by Zafrina and the werewolves grossly underestimated by everyone, except the werewolves themselves, would have resulted in a Volturi roast. Demetri would know the direction of an opponent, but couldn't see to fight. Renata/Aro would only last until Bella dropped a skin surface shield around Renata. In all of those cases, it would be many friends against one Volturi. We don't know what talents of Afton and Corin have, but they may not have had a direct impact on the battle, much like Eleazar didn't when he was with the guard.)

Running Total: 9.5 of 13

Who do you think the main antagonist will be? What will be the conflict? Volturi - Existence of werewolf pack

Half - again we were in ignorance, like all of the Cullens, of the pregnancy potential. Also, we didn't know of the immortal children issue and the Denali sensitivity to it.

Running Total: 10 of 14

What is the preface about? Bella going to see Jacob, as a vampire for the first time.

Again, who could foresee Bella with a life-threatening pregnancy?

Running Total: 10 of 15

What role will the werewolves play? Casus Belli with Volturi, Both a source of conflict and resolution between Cullens/Denali.

Running Total: 10 of 16

What do you think Alec’s talent is? Firestarter

Running Total: 10 of 17

What other talents do you think the Volturi guards have? None, other than currently known

Running Total: 10 of 18

What do you think Bella’s talent is? Based on her being perceptive - Situational awareness, knowledge of what is happening, what it means and the best response to it. She is going to be a "take charge" gal, a natural born (? - heck you know what I mean) battlefield commander if not the leader of the Cullens. If she did end up with the Volturi, she would own the place in two shakes of a lambs tail.

Come on. Don't I get some credit for the second half of my answer? She was awesome.

Running Total: 10 of 19

What is something you’d like to happen? (Besides Bella changing or them baking). Charlie remarrying or at least starting to move in that direction.

Running Total: 11 of 20

What is one random, probably never-going-to-happen theory that you have? Bella's meninges (the covering of the brain) is what blocks Edward, Aro, Jane and Demetri from accessing her thoughts/mind. Unfortunately, this also acts as a blood brain barrier for venom. When Bell is changed, and her heart stops, her unchanged brain, starved of nutrients and oxygen, will turn to mush. Bella, with a stunningly beautiful immortal body will be a zombie.

While there were nutrition issues in Breaking Dawn, this event didn't take place.

Running Total: 12 of 21

Random question: What do you think the last word of the book will be? Forever

This should be good for at least 5 bonus points!

Running Total: 13 of 22

Not very impressive.

While I haven't been through all of my theories, I posted this Breaking Dawn Theories summary, with scoring and comments. I actually feel pretty good about it.

Of course, some of my favorite theories, such as the role of fire in changing Aro, Caius and Marcus, were complete busts. A few, such as the mechanism for imprinting, need to be revisited. So much new information to process.

[wishingiwasbella]

welcome to the new Lex! it's a great place for the addicted to feel "normal" well as normal as wel'll ever get. My name is Leah. PM me anytime hope to see you around the boards.