True Blood (not quite Sookie)

So, I watched the first episode of "True Blood," the new HBO show based on Charlaine Harris' "Southern Vampire Mysteries" series with Sookie Stackhouse. I love the books, I'll just say that first. Love them, love them, love them. And I understand that the show's producers and writers needed to have a little creative difference to spice up the show. But already there are a few glaring differences between the show and the book series that I couldn't ignore:

-They changed Tara Thornton's character into somebody else entirely, from background to looks to attitude. I have no idea where that sassy, back-talking bitchy chick came from, but she's not in the books. Plus, where is the clothing store she owns? She runs Tara's Togs, where Sookie shops for clothing. She doesn't work in Merlotte's or Wal-Mart and she can keep a job just fine. This is the biggest inconsistency so far, but I think I can understand why they did it.
-Sam doesn't crush on Sookie until much later in the books. Moving a little fast there, HBO.
-The timing of Hurricane Katrina will make later episodes difficult. Katrina didn't happen until much, much, much later in the books, and was essentially a plot point in a later book. How will they set up Sookie's visit to the Queen?
-The dog that shows up in the previews for episode two should've been a collie, not a beagle. Harris makes that clear in the books. Hopefully, they keep the name.
http://truebloodwiki.hbo.com/page/True+Blood%3A+Books+vs.+Series
http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/07/24/hbos-true-blood-comic-con-report/
I'm happy to live with the changes. I just hope people watching the show without having read the books will start reading, because I can tell right away that there will be lots of interesting differences between the books and the show, hopefully good ones.

Random Monday Night Things

Yeah, I'll admit it, the show "One Tree Hill" on the CW has become a guilty pleasure.
On that note... tonight's episode was all sorts of holy fuck, dammit argh.

I am reading Lord of Bones by Justine Musk and I love it dearly and I really hope there's more books about Jess and Kai and Ramsey.

Rose has been loving me since I got come. There are health benefits to having a small kitten jump into your lap, nuzzle your face, knead your chest, and trill in your ear -- but those health benefits skyrocket when said kitten is one of the cutest and most beautiful kittens I have ever seen.

Coming home, I had such an intense rush of fatigue and achiness that I wondered if I'd make it home, honestly. I'm okay now, but oh fuck I hate when that happens.

Chocolate ice cream and organic pizza made things feel better.