It occurred to me on the way to the barn last night that there might be another use for the adhesive tape cross I wrote about a couple of posts ago. I tend to slouch a bit when I ride, as well, and my head tips forward when I concentrate.

I think, although I would have to do further testing to be sure, that there is probably a spot on your upper back where a tape cross could let you know if you were letting your head drop forward. It wouldn't actually interfere with anything, but it would provide a reference point--if I go so far forward, I feel the tape tug at my skin.

Of course, you would need an assistant to put the tape on properly, because there's no way your neck would remain in the right spot while you were twisting around to apply the tape. (Not to mention the risk of your hair getting caught.) But I mentioned it to Coach Girl and it might be worth trying. I'll let you know if we do.

Yeah, yeah. I bought a copy of Twilight last night. I'm only a couple of chapters in so far so I haven't gotten to any really painful parts yet, but a note or two to begin with:

1) I am fine with the fact that the main character is attractive to the vampires. There has to be a reason for a particular character to be the lead in a particular story, so within story constraints it does make sense for her to be the Vampire Whisperer. However, it's just stupid to make such a thing about how she's never had any friends, ever, and then make her the centre of a social whirl the second she gets to the new school. I can only assume the writer wanted to avoid having to worry about too many ties to her old home--realistic human relationships are such a pain--but in that case the character should have been a bit of an outcast at the new school, too.

Or, you know, put a little effort into making friends.

2) The author note thanked her editor for helping make the book better than it was before. However, nobody seemed all that interested in narrative consistency, both for the reason given above and the business of Bella fainting in biology class when they did the blood draw. I notice she was fighting fit in the emergency room when Tyler was swathed in gory bandages after the van incident.

Okay, I have been skimming ahead.

3) The bit about how Edward can't read Bella's thoughts because "you don't think like everyone else" was a stroke of genius. Bella is the absolute dead norm of every dull little self-obsessed teenage girl you have ever met or been. So readers, who almost certainly think just like Bella get to feel SPESHUL, too!

4) The thing about how the vampires hunt animals. They prefer to go to places "where there is an overpopulation of predators." Um, exactly how do they figure that out in the three days before the predators disperse in search of new food? Do they hang around new housing developments encroaching on predator territory and wait for some desperate animal to come out of the woods?

An extra special stake through the heart for grizzly killing Emmett, too.