Adventures in Stillwater

So, I just returned from a hair-raising experience on the streets of Stilly, where I braved the dangers of American Eagle and nearly got myself killed by a skateboarding assassin.
Okay, maybe I'm being a teensy bit over-dramatic.
Fine, I'm being a lot over-dramatic.
I really did just get back from American Eagle. My mom has had her eye on the necklace I got at a gift exchange since December, and I bought her one for her birthday. And jewelry was buy one get one 1/2 off, so I got a cute pair of pewter heart earrings out of the deal. Hey, I get paid on Friday.
And I really did almost get myself run over by a pre-teen on a skateboard. They really should watch where they're going. I mean, a person could get hurt, especially if she's completely oblivious.
The best part of the little adventure was the fact that I dug my Hercules soundtrack out of the glove box and popped it in. I am pleased to announce that I still remember all the words to the songs (which means that my friends will have to put up with my less-than-accurate renditions of "Zero to Hero," "Won't Say I'm In Love," "A Star is Born," and "One Last Hope," the last of which will be sung in a perfectly awful Brooklyn accent, for the next few days. Sorry guys!) even though it's been at least two years since I listened to the soundtrack and probably around five since I've seen the movie.
I have a head for song lyrics.
Yesterday was Valentine's Day. Bleh. I spent most of the day filing at my other part-time job and the evening was spent curled up with a pint of Bluebell and season four of Smallville. The day passed with minimal amounts of pain. On most days I enjoy my single state, but every Valentine's Day... Bleh.
In other news, I've gotten no further in my quest to commit intellectual suicide. This stupid book is causing me physical pain. But I am happy to announce that my renamed characters now have last names. Massive props go out to Samgirl, who not only gave me the idea (which I'm sure she regrets) but also gave me the new name for Jacob-the-shapeshifter-who-Stephanie Myers-insists-on-calling-a-werewolf-even-though-he's not.
Odette's last name is Tchaikovsky. For those of you who don't like classical music, ballet, weren't in band or on the academic team, he's a Russian composer who wrote the score to Swan Lake. I'm not one for ballet, but I love the music.
Seymour's last name is Lugosi. All classic horror movie buffs (and those of us who read Bunnicula as kids) will know that Bela Lugosi played the title character in the 1930s Dracula.
Back when the horror genre had some dignity.
To Atticus, I've added the last name Ameche. Ameche was the original voice of Shadow in that classic animal film Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, Shadow is a Golden Retriever, so I'm playing on the same theme for this character.
Jacob-the-shapeshifter-Stephanie Myers-insists-on-calling-a-werewolf-even-though-he's-not will hencefifth be known as Dante Landis. Dante was the director of the film The Howling and Landis was the director of An American Werewolf in London. Which is just obscure enough to be completely ridiculous. To add to the fun, Sam and Dean portrayed Detectives Dante and Landis (respectively) in the season two episode "Heart."
I am having way too much fun with this renaming the characters thing.
Oh well, I have to get through this book somehow. I've had it for nearly three weeks and I'm 93 pages in. That's gotta be some kind of record for slowness for these books.
Bleh.