This photo by Daphne Weld Nichols shows a bride who apparently came in to give her husband-to-be a photo album of sexy pictures as a wedding present. Channel 7 filmed this woman for a segment they did a short while back

The other day while sitting in the locker room at my gym, I saw a segment on Inside Edition discussing a new trend called “boudoir photography.” For those of you who didn’t study French, “boudoir” means a lady‘s private bedroom, sitting room or dressing room, or, according to Urban Dictionary, “a room where you can get S&M with Rihanna.” Let’s use the first definition for the purposes here. In this type of photography the photographer takes pictures of a woman in an actual boudoir (possibly hers) or in a studio designed to look like one. As you might have guessed, the woman posing is scantily clad. Boudoir photography isn’t necessarily a new art form, but as the segment mentioned, recently there’s been a surge of women giving boudoir photo albums as wedding presents to their fiances — the gal featured on Inside Edition did just that. Although you couldn’t see it through his pants, something was definitely happening down below, as the husband-to-be flipped through the final product, grinning ear-to-ear. And why shouldn’t he be … ahem, aroused? She looked hot and the photography was spectacular. The lady sitting next to me, who was in her fifties and looked a little something like this, shook her head in disapproval. “Is that really necessary?” she groaned, gnashing her teeth.

To which I now reply (because I didn’t then, managing only a brief smirk): YES! I think boudoir photography is the greatest thing since sliced bread and this and quite possibly these. If you’re going to be sleeping with one person for the rest of your life, which assumes you won’t be signing up for this God-awful site, anything you can do to spice up your sex life is a brilliant game plan. To the ladies: Men love when their partners confidently express their sexuality – a private, for his-eyes-only keepsake in the form of erotic pictures is the perfect way to show him that you want him and that you want him to want you. Plus, in fifty years, when your chest looks like this, he’ll have a reminder of what you used to look like, and just maybe he’ll be able to forgo the Viagra for a few more rolls in the hay or Craftmatic adjustable. It’s a win-win, really.

When I mentioned the segment to my boyfriend, he thought immediately of an advertisement in the back of Improper Bostonian. He remembered it, because, well … what able-bodied male wouldn’t remember an advertisement in which a woman is posing provocatively wearing nothing more than a bra, panties, and garter, with an expression on her face that’s saying, “Take me, lover, and have your way with me!”? So, the next day, when I passed by an Improper Bostonian sidewalk dispenser, I pulled out an issue and took a gander at the last couple pages. Lo and behold, there she was! A lady looking seductively at the camera, mouth agape, with the words Fantasy Photography by Daphne nuzzled between her supple breasts.

My interest was piqued – who was this Daphne lady? After perusing her Web site and watching a behind-the-scenes You Tube video of a client during a photo session, I decided to get in touch with her to find out more. Turns out, Daphne Weld Nichols has been doing boudoir (or fantasy) photography for more than 25 years. Her interest in the genre, as stated in her biography, began when she came across an article in Cosmopolitan Magazine, which told how a particular Playboy Playmate of the Month captured the eye of a Hollywood producer, who in turn sent for the centerfold model to audition for a part in his latest film. When the centerfold model arrived for the appointment, the producer did not even recognize her, stating that the woman in his office did not bare the slightest resemblance to the perfect fantasy girl he had seen in the magazine.

“In that moment, when I read that article, I said to myself, ‘men are truly duped,’” said Weld Nichols. It was at that moment that she felt she received her calling. ”I wanted to be the equalizer for the average woman who doesn’t have all the beauty enhancement techniques, products, services, and artists that help manufacture the unattainable, unrealistic images that men see in the magazines.”

Fantasy Photography by Daphne was thus born. Her clientele, mostly women, ranging from 18 to 90 (!), couldn’t be happier with their experience and the end product. Weld Nichols, a native Bostonian whose studio is located in Arlington, MA, echoed the trend of younger women booking shoots so they can give albums as wedding gifts to their husbands: “We just had an 18-year-old newlywed come in, and about 50 percent of our clients fall between 21-35.” Mostly married, working women who have money to spend take advantage of Weld Nichols’ services, which, in addition to the shoot, include a complimentary consultation, full makeup application and hair styling by her all-female crew of stylists, as well as plenty of pampering on the big day.

While the impetus for most clients is indeed to present their mates with sexy photographs, Weld Nichols explained that many women usually want or need the excuse of it being a gift, highlighting perhaps the more prurient desires of the fairer sex. Many also come in for facebook or Match.com photos. To take the edge off and make the client feel safe – most are anxious at the start of the session – Weld Nichols makes use of Feng Shui and healing energy to make the studio space as relaxing as possible. “We make an effort to tune into each client, since everyone is different, so every session is a unique experience.”

Tricia Traxler, one of Weld Nichols’ older clients, speaks to that connection.  ”I can’t emphasize enough the connection we made and their ability to get me to relax. It was like stepping into an alternate reality and peeling the onion in order to reach through the day-to-day pressures to get to the real and true beautiful self,” said Traxler, who lives in Massachusetts and owns her own business in executive placement. “It was a transformative experience.” Traxler came to Weld Nichols when she turned 50 to “cast in stone” her look at the time. “There is nothing like getting a beautiful, professional set of photographs made that captures your essence,” she opined. “No matter your age, you are at your peak of beauty once you have this experience with them and will want to go back again and again (and I have) to mark other milestones and track your progress in life. Everyone should do this for themselves and would be happier for it.  I did this for me but it is a beautiful, personal, heartfelt gift for couples to share.”

Over the years, Daphne and her crew have seen some incredible transformations – timid ladies letting go of their inhibitions and insecurities; average-looking women blossoming into swans – but her most memorable shoot was when a handicapped woman came to her studio. “Her husband carried her up to the third floor where our studio was at the time. She had been in an airplane crash as a young woman. She felt so happy, sexy, and beautiful after her session that she painted a watercolor of herself, named it ‘Fantasy Dream,’ and gave it to us.”

There have also been some bizarre moments in Weld Nichols’ nearly three-decade career, like when a woman came in, shook her hand and said, “Hi, my name is Rene and I used to be a man.” Or the time when a handsome man wearing a three-piece suit, carrying a briefcase, came in for a consultation for his bride-to be’s session and it turned out that he was to be the bride. “The day of the shoot, we kept looking around for his fiancé, until finally he came clean and told us he always wanted to be a bride in a white gown,” said Weld Nichols. “Most of these types of unusual occurrences have been with men – Harvard professors, judges, high-powered attorneys, some wearing full beards, who have secret lives as women.” She continued: “There have also been many married women who made it clear to us that they wanted to do the hot sexy photographs for their lovers on the side.” Yowza! Maybe they were members of this God-awful site.

Not all men, though, coming in to Weld Nichols’ studio are gender benders. “Dudeoir Photography,” as Daphne playfully calls it, focuses more on internet dating photographs, and business and traditional portraits.

I’ll admit that some of the studio shots I viewed on Weld Nichols’ website (unfortunately, I wasn’t able to visit the studio) reminded me a little bit of the gal in the glamor shot photo Napoleon Dynamite – in the eponymously named movie – pretends is his girlfriend, but many of the portraits are beautiful, capturing the romance and beauty of the female form in all its glory. And testimonials of Weld Nichols’ superior artistry, professionalism, and warmth abound: This woman even wrote a blog about her experience. Clients also have the option to be photographed at their own home, if a studio shoot isn’t their aesthetic ideal.

So if you’re about to walk down the aisle, if you’ve been married for several years and are looking to freshen up a marriage gone stale or want to make an already blazing union even hotter, or if you’re just in the market for a sexy album of yourself that you’ll be able to flip through for years to come, get thee to a boudoir photographer. Weld Nichols is waiting for your phone call.

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Actress Anne Hathaway is engaged to long-time boyfriend Adam Shulman, her spokesman announced on Monday.

Reuters reports that the spokesman provided no further details beyond the confirmation.

Hathaway,29, has been dating Shulman since 2008.  She was linked with the actor and jewelry designer after her public break-up from Raffaello Follieri when he was arrested and pleaded guilty on fraud charges.

Jonathan Jaxson, a former publicist of Kim Kardashian’s, has called out the reality television star’s wedding as a media stunt. He claimed, “She knew weeks before getting married she didn’t want to do it. She’s never gotten over [ex Reggie Bush].”

Jaxson, who was Kardashian’s publicist from 2007 to 2009, in the midst of her sex tape scandal, brought up instances in the past where she did certain things in order to appeal to the media. However, he appears to have issues with the star, as he was let go after a dispute over money.

Whether or not the rumors about Kim Kardashian’s marriage to Kris Humphries are actually valid, concern about the whole situation seems as though it is not going away.

Smart, Oosterhouse and actor Dave Annable attend the Grey Goose Lounge Series at Super Bowl hosted by Terrell Owens February 3, 2011 in Dallas. (WireImage)

Amy Smart has married HGTV star Carter Oosterhouse, US Weekly reported.

The “Shameless” actress, now 35 years old, said “I do” in Traverse City, Mich. with 215 guests around.

“We feel so excited and blessed to celebrate this happy day with our family and friends,” the newlyweds told Us Weekly in a statement.

“He’s from there and my parents live there, so it’s been my second home since I was very young,” Smart told the magazine.

The couple met in November at a charity event.

Kim Kardashian: “It Was Like We Were in Heaven.”

In the second-most followed wedding of the year (the royal wedding) Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries tied the knot.

And for what we’re sure was a large check, People magazine was the exclusive media outlet that got to cover and photograph their wedding.

The cover image is available, but you can go out and buy the magazine yourself, and see all the wedding photos you want when the magazine hits newsstands on Friday.

“I’m going to remember how perfect it was,” Humphries told People.

Wearing a custom-designed Vera Wang ball gown, Kardashian, 30, said she “felt like a princess. … Glam aside, that wasn’t our main goal. It was really about our family and each other.”

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Kim Kardashian and basketball star Kris Humphries are set to wed tonight in a private, very exclusive ceremony.

500 guests are expected at the private canyon estate in Montecito, but the guest list had to be cut down because of fire safety concerns, reports the Baltimore Sun.

“50 (guests were bumped) because the fire marshal had to cut it down,” said KISS FM’s Ellen K. “I guess the calls had to be made personally by him.”

Bruce Jenner, Kardashian’s stepfather, will walk her down the aisle in place of the late Robert Kardashian, although the ceremony will pay tribute to him.

Kardashian’s wedding dress was designed by Vera Wang, however she is expected to make several wardrobe changes throughout the night.

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Joy Behar of the View married her boyfriend on Thursday after dating for 29 years.

Behar, 68, married Steve Janowitz at a private ceremony in New York City.  The talk show host has had “cold feet” about marriage since the early 80s.

The couple is now on their honeymoon, so Behar will publicly discuss her nuptials on air on September 6, according to her rep.

The current James Bond, Daniel Craig has married girlfriend Rachel Weisz, according to a spokesman for Craig.

“They are married,” simply stated a Los Angeles-based publicist.

The couple was first spotted together last fall. Reports indicate the wedding was small and quiet in New York on Wednesday.

Craig is 43, Weisz, if you can believe it, is already 41.

They play — big stretch — a married couple in the upcoming movie “Dream House,” due in September.

Miranda Lambert, 27, and Blake Shelton, 34, finally got married Saturday night in front of 550 family members and friends, including Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson, Martina McBride, Dierks Bentle, Charles Kelly and the Bellamy Brothers, at the Don Strange Ranch in Boerne, Texas, north of San Antonio, according to Us magazine.

They have been together for six years.

Lambert said to the source, “I’m married to my best friend! Looking forward to a lifetime of laughter.”

Shelton, who is currently a judge on the singing competition “The Voice,” also commented, “I wanted to be married to Miranda the day I proposed. Finally, it’s official!”

The couple got engaged last May and this is the first marriage for Lambert and the second for Shelton.

Reese Witherspoon, 35, married CAA agent Jim Toth, 40, early Saturday evening, US Magazine reported. They started dating in January 2010.

The couple exchanged vows at the actress’s 6-acre ranch in Ojai, Calif., in front of 120 family members and friends, including Renee Zellweger, and Alyssa Milano, and Tobey Maguire.

It’s the second wedding for Reese Witherspoon, who divorced Ryan Phillippe, 36, in 2007 after seven years of marriage.

Mike Myers’ rep told People Myers and Kelly Tisdale “were married in a private ceremony and celebrated with family and friends.”

The couple legally got together five months ago but they didn’t publicly announce the news right away. The couple started dating after Myers’ first marriage ended.

The 47-year-old “Austin Powers” star was previously married to Robin Ruzan for 12 years, but they filed for divorce in 2005.

Can We Kill Choreographed Line Dancing at Weddings?

At my cousin’s wedding, I got up to get my brother and myself another round of drinks. It was late in the reception, and because of the change in music half the crowd on the dance floor had returned to their seats. Maria Griffith’s “Electric Boogie” began to blast from the speakers, meaning that those who remained on the dance floor started to perform the Electric Slide. To get to the bar, I had to skirt the outside of the dance floor. As I was hoping to avoid the small group of loosely synchronized line dancers, one of them grabbed my arm and pulled me into the Electric Sliders. As I was no longer in eighth grade, I thought my time of being forced to awkwardly perform the Electric Slide had passed. But there I was at 26, with 10 other people on the dance floor being forced to sashay back and forth and do that awkward clap that no one does at the right time, when Maria Griffith’s lyrics reach “it’s electric, boogie woogie woogie woogie.” Most of the Electric Sliders were not sure of the proper moves and we ended up taking our queues from the one single spinster aunt who was happy to show off that she knew the entire dance and gave a harsh stare to those of us who stepped out of line. Ric Silver would probably sue us all.

Really, are we still doing the Electric Slide? Maybe there is a place for it at retro-disco dance clubs, but not at weddings. I am not against any song which has an accompanying dance, just songs that force everyone on the dance floor to do that dance correctly, or be booted off the floor. Placing the awkwardness of disco line dances on wedding guests is cruel. Line dancing should not be a part of any wedding ceremony. This includes newer hip hop echoes of the Electric Slide: DJ Casper’s “Cha Cha Slide” and Soulja Boy’s “Crank Dat.” Not only do they force a room full of people to do the same choreographed dance, but these songs replace much better music that could be playing.

Luckily, some of these line dances are dying out. Of the six weddings I’ve been to in the past year, not once has the “Chicken Dance” been played, nor have I heard the “Macarena,” though I shudder when I declare the “Macarena” dead fearing I will jinx myself. But while the “Macarena” and “Chicken Dance” made people look like fools and forced them to listen two of the worst songs ever created, they still let people look foolish as individuals. They did not force everyone else from the dance floor who chose not to perform them. And if they were performing them incorrectly no one had to endure the spinster Aunt’s stink eye.

During the same wedding where I was forced to Electric Side, the Isley Brothers’ “Shout” blasted from the speakers. People, young and old, rushed the dance floor. Even my father and Uncle Mike danced to “Shout.” “Shout” had the complete opposite effect from the Electric Slide. It brought people to the dance floor, mainly because dancing to “Shout” is fun. We crouched down, we jumped up, we sang along. Yes, there is a way to dance to “Shout”—think Animal House and Otis Day and the Knights. But part of the fun to dancing to “Shout” is messing up. Even falling during the “a little bit softer now” is acceptable. It’s not hard to remember all the words. It requires no coordination, just maybe a few drinks in your system.

As for more songs with existing dances in weddings, I more than welcome anything by Michel Jackson. And every one of his songs has a dance to it, but no one is going to think less of anyone on the dance floor if they don’t spin around and grab their crotch to “Billy Jean.” Most weddings I have been to every Lady Gaga song that is played also has a favorable reception, but everyone knows that trying to do the “Poker Face” dance is a make-a-fool-out-of-yourself-on-your-own endeavor, and by no means drag other people into it.

So, it is time to eliminate the Electric Slide and all forced line dancing from weddings. No one is going to do the Hokey Pokey. Well, unless it is a 1970s roller-disco-themed wedding. In that case, every song should be a line dance. Just make sure someone is there to hold grandma’s hand when she does the “Hustle.”

#5. Tory Burch

5. Tory Burch

I will admit that I am not nearly as in love with her fall collection as I was with summer (which, btw, Saks has on SALE. I think I want the Jula dress or the Esther dress).

#4. my new national officer position in my sorority

4. My sorority

Even though the paperwork is currently taking over my coffee table until i can find an organizational system that works.

#3. the almost kindergarteners in Boston

3. Kindergarteners!

The almost kindergartners in Boston, with whom I have spent every single day of the past week, and will spend every single day until September 11 <3 my job

#2. fritos with ranch dip

2. Fritos and ranch dip

#1. planning to meet the gibs at heather's wedding!

1. A wedding

…although it is next Saturday, and I still do not have a dress…

Teddy Roosevelt was on my list… until he kept trying to eat my fritos with ranch dip…

It looks like ABC will be featuring the deaths of not one but two young, blonde doctors during next week’s season finales. Izzie Stevens, played by “27 Dresses” star Katherine Heigl, veritably signed her death warrant by marrying fellow doctor Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) in a surprising wedding twist during last night’s penultimate episode. After all, we can’t have two happily – or unhappily – married couples on the show at any given time.

Last night’s episode (the show’s 100th) was hinted in previews to be the long awaited marriage between lead characters Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey). From the start – showing a cancer-ravaged Izzie complete with pasty skin and a bandana covering her head – we realize that is not the case.

Izzie’s opening monologue discussed how it was the ordinary days that become the extraordinary ones that stay with you forever. “Grey’s” hundredth episode was like that: it started out ordinary (or at least not excitement-worthy) and ended in one of the most pleasant moments in “Grey’s” history – Izzie and Alex’s wedding.

Those who find the upcoming and inevitable death of Izzie Stevens a surprise should have been paying closer attention to the strife occurring off-camera between Heigl and “Grey’s” creator Shonda Rhimes. Heigl and best friend T.R. Knight who plays George on the show have been reported to have asked off the show on numerous occasions before their contracts expired. Rhimes has denied allegations and said that Heigl would not be leaving the show, but at this point those claims seem unlikely.

Before last year’s Emmy nominations, Heigl (who had won the Emmy in 2007 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series) preemptively refused an Emmy nomination for her role on “Grey’s” because she felt she was not “given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination.”

Undoubtedly, Izzie’s melanoma diagnosis and the hallucination insanity that occurred before it (can anyone say Denny Duquette?) is a great role for Heigl to be playing. But it became poignantly clear last night how disillusioned with her talent Heigl was when she smited a possible Emmy nom — before she was even nominated. What Heigl seemed to have failed to realize is that it is not the content that earns the Emmy, but the actors and actresses performing the content. What has earned Chandra Wilson‚  (Bailey) and Sandra Oh (Christina) repeated Emmy nominations while star Ellen Pompeo has not received one is how they create their characters from the content they are given, not by just reading the lines.

Yes, this season Heigl has been given a great character to play, but her vanity as an actress has diluted the character of Izzie. Telling the show’s creator that she needs to step up her game while Heigl does not step up her own is the biggest disgrace to a show that can be done. Heigl’s hissy fit might have earned her a lead role on “Grey’s” fifth season, but honestly, I am glad to see her go.

That said, last night’s episode of “Grey’s,” entitled “What A Difference A Day Makes,” thankfully avoided all the typical jump-the-shark moments the show employs in its pivotal episodes. There were no ferry crashes, train collisions or bombs in patients and, while Jeffrey Dean Morgan did make his return as ghost Denny, the medical aspect of the show was balanced evenly with the relationship aspect. What the episode did center around was death, and lots of it.

Turns out Izzie’s opening monologue was directed to Denny Duquette, a hallucination she had been having that resulted in her discovering she had a tumor in earlier episodes. Denny’s reappearance meant a new tumor and, after much searching, it was located by Derek and Bailey on Izzie’s temporal lobe. Bailey comments on how small the tumor is, and Derek responds only with a very sad “I wish there was something I could do for her.” To you optimists out there, I’m sticking to my theory. There will be no “Grey’s” miracle for this one. Izzie Stevens is dunzo.

Meanwhile in the pit, Callie (Sara Ramirez) is trying to balance the eight dying college students who were in a car accident on their way to graduation with her relationship with pediatric surgeon Arizona (Jessica Capshaw). The odds don’t weigh in her favor as seven of the eight students die in one of the most moving and well-edited “Grey’s” moments in a while. Alex has the one surviving student tell him her graduation speech – today is the day we begin the rest of our lives – while shots of the other students being zipped up in body bags are interwoven with Derek and Bailey discovering Izzie’s new tumor. I’m telling you, metaphors define “Grey’s,” and this metaphor says Izzie does not stand a chance.

Which brings us to the wedding. Sure, let’s ignore the fact Alex never officially asks Izzie if she would like to marry him – the wedding was great. Izzie had been planning the MerDer wedding replete with a poofy white princess wedding dress and a giant church which, as we all know from Dark-And-Twisty-Meredith days, is much more Izzie’s dream than Meredith and Derek’s, so it was surprisingly fitting when Izzie walked down the aisle with George steadying her weak walk as she went.

Alex and Izzie getting married was perfect, but much like Alex’s plan to artificially inseminate Izzie’s embryos when she first went in to cancer treatment, it was a futile attempt to preserve what is left of Izzie’s life instead of a thought through plan for the future. Alex’s and Izzie’s wedding was the long-awaited “Grey’s” wedding (I still wish Christina and Burke had gotten together in season three), but their marriage is something that would never last a year.

Plus, there is one marriage that desperately needs to last – that of Meredith and Derek. The couple that defined the show with “pick me, choose me, love me” has steadily been losing the interesting value of the show, being replaced with the ill-fated Christina/Hunt (Kevin McKidd) romance and the absolutely adorable Lexie (Chyler Leigh)/Sloan (Eric Dane) relationship. As Izzie said in last night’s episode before the wedding swap, Meredith and Derek are the two people least interested in getting married of all time. And as a result, I find myself wondering, do I really care?

So what do we have to look forward to in next week’s two hour season finale? The MerDer wedding, to be sure, but in what form I can’t guess. I’m hoping a private ceremony with only their close friends – and no Thatcher Grey – to honor Meredith and Derek’s wishes, especially since Izzie has gotten an epic albeit quick wedding out of her system.

The last appearance of Denny Duquette as he guides Izzie through death and off to heaven. Izzie is going to die, and it is going to be shot and presented in a way that tells you to feel sad. Whether you actually feel sad is up to your personal relationship with the character of Izzie Stevens. I know my apartment is making a skull and cross bones cake to celebrate the event.

I don’t think there will be an epic accident in this season’s finale – I hope Shonda Rhimes learned her lesson with those sweeps-catering obnoxious drama-fests when they didn’t draw in the ratings or dedication she wanted. This episode should, and hopefully will, focus around Meredith and Derek getting married and Izzie dying.

George leaving Seattle’s Grace. T.R. Knight has been almost nonexistent this season on “Grey’s,” with his last true storyline on the show being the ill-fated Gizzie match-up in season four. He has come back somewhat to the forefront as a great trauma surgeon, but is lacking any substantial reason for remaining on the show. If Heigl is leaving, then Knight is sure to follow, because the two-peas-in-a-pod friendship that held such a great dynamic both on and off screen is sure to follow the other out the door. I’m guessing Izzie’s death and the seven deaths George was unable to prevent will prompt George to transfer to a different hospital.

If both Heigl and Knight do leave the show, then two fifths of the original “Grey’s” interns will be gone from the show, completely shifting its dynamic to newcomers Lexie, Callie, Sloan and Hunt. If the dynamic does shift in such a way, don’t be surprised if in the next couple seasons Meredith and Derek decide to retire and Lexie becomes the title Grey in “Grey’s Anatomy.” She always felt like the back-up plan on the show anyways. But the question is, will “Grey’s” still be “Grey’s”?

Oh, and if you’re wondering who the other doctor most likely to be offed is, check out “Lost”s two hour season finale. She’s another one I can’t wait to leave.

Hey Blast readers, how do you feel about the Izzie/Alex wedding? Will you still watch the show if Heigl and Knight leave? Are you at all excited about the MerDer wedding? Leave us your thoughts!

These are some of the greatest moments of Stephenie Meyer’s series. If you have not yet read “Breaking Dawn”, the fourth novel in the series, and do not want to read any spoilers, please do not continue reading this. If not, enjoy!

10 – The end of “Breaking Dawn”

“‘We have plenty of time to work on it,’ I reminded him.

‘Forever and forever and forever,’ he murmured.

‘That sounds exactly right to me.’

And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever.”

9 - Bella and Edward’s first ever kiss from “Twilight”

“I couldn’t breathe.

He hesitated – not in the normal way, the human way.

Not the way a man might hesitate before he kissed a woman, to gauge her reaction, to see how he would be received. Perhaps he would hesitate to prolong the moment, that ideal moment of anticipation, sometimes better than the kiss itself.

Edward hesitated to test himself, to see if this was safe, to make sure he was still in control of his need.

And then his cold, marble lips pressed very softly against mine.”

8 – Jacob imprints from “Breaking Dawn”

“My jerking came to a stop; heat flooded through me, stronger than before, but it was a new kind of heat – not a burning.

It was a glowing.

Everything inside me came undone as I stared at the tiny porcelain face of the half-vampire, half-human baby. [...] The gravity of the earth no longer tied me to the place where I stood.

It was the baby girl in the blond vampire’s arms that held me here now.”

7 – The cliff jump in “New Moon”

“I smiled and raised my arms straight out, as if I were going to dive, lifting my face into the rain. But it was too ingrained from years of swimming at the public pool – feet first, first time. I leaned forward, crouching to get more spring…

And I flung myself from the cliff.”

6 – Bella first sees Edward in “Twilight”

“It was there, sitting in the lunchroom, trying to make conversation with seven curious strangers, that I first saw them.

They were sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, as far away from where I sat as possible in the long room. There were five of them. [...] The last was lanky, less bulky, with untidy, bronze-colored hair. He was more boyish than the others, who looked like they could be in college, or even teachers here rather than students.

[...]‘That’s Edward. He’s gorgeous, of course, but don’t waste your time. He doesn’t date. Apparently none of the girls here are good-looking enough for him.’ She sniffed, a clear case of sour grapes. I wondered when he’d turned her down.”

5 - The wedding from “Breaking Dawn”

“I didn’t realize I was crying until it was time to say the binding words.

‘I do,’ I managed to choke out in a nearly unintelligible whisper, blinking my eyes clear so I could see his face.

When it was his turn to speak, the words rang clear and victorious.

‘I do,’ he vowed.”

4 - Bella’s first kiss with Edward as a vampire in “Breaking Dawn”

“It was like he’d never kissed me – like this was our first kiss. And in truth, he’d never kissed me this way before.

It almost made me feel guilty. Surely I was in breach of the contract. I couldn’t be allowed to have this, too.”

3 - Bella punches Jacob in “Eclipse”

“Finally, he let go of my face and leaned away.

‘Are you done now?’ I asked in an expressionless voice.

‘Yes,’ he sighed. He started to smile, closing his eyes.

I pulled my arm back and then let it snap forward, punching him in the mouth with as much power as I could force out of my body.

There was a crunching sound.

‘Ow! OW!’ I screamed, frantically hopping up and down in agony while I clutched my hand to my chest. It was broken, I could feel it.

Jacob stared at me in shock. ‘Are you alright?’

‘No, dammit! You broke my hand!‘”

2 – The meadow scene from “Twilight”

“‘Isabella.’ He pronounced my full name carefully, then playfully ruffled my hair with his free hand. A shock ran through my body at his casual touch. ‘Bella, I couldn’t live with myself if I ever hurt you. You don’t know how it’s tortured me.’ [...] He lifted his glorious, agonized eyes to mine. ‘You are the most important thing to me now. The most important thing to me ever.’”

1 – The tent scene from “Eclipse”

“‘Please!’ Edward hissed. ‘Do you mind!’

‘What?’ Jacob whispered back, his tone surprised.

‘Do you think you could attempt to control your thoughts?’ Edward’s low whisper was furious.

‘No one said you had to listen,’ Jacob muttered, defiant, yet still embarrassed. ‘Get out of my head.’

‘I wish I could. You have no idea how loud your little fantasies are. It’s like you’re shouting them at me.’

‘I’ll try to keep it down,’ Jacob whispered sarcastically.”

Dear EarthTalk: How is wind power faring in the U.S. now? Is more of it coming on line and becoming a larger percent of the grid? And what about some of the highly publicized efforts to build wind farms, such as in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Has that been approved? – Paul Howe, San Francisco, CA

Clean and green wind energy iscon the new darling of alternative energy developers, and the U.S. industry has been surging the past three years, especially as developers take advantage of government incentives-in the form of the so-called Production Tax Credit (PTC)-for erecting turbines and connecting them to the grid.

The non-profit American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reports that, in 2007 alone, total U.S. wind power capacity grew by a new record of 45 percent, injecting some $9 billion into the economy. These new installations provide enough electricity to power 1.5 million typical American homes while strengthening the nation’s energy supply with clean, homegrown electricity.

According to AWEA, utility-grade wind power installations are now in operation across 34 U.S. states, generating more than 16,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity cumulatively-enough to power upwards of 4.5 million homes and to generate 45,000 new domestic jobs. But even with this growth, wind energy still accounts for just one percent of U.S. electricity supply. Continued growth apace with that of recent years, though, should make it a major player in the American energy scene within a decade. President Bush himself recently suggested that wind has the potential to supply up to 20 percent of the nation’s electricity.

Of course, the volatility of oil prices has helped wind energy gain its foothold. Once a wind farm is built, the fuel cost is essentially zero (as long as the wind blows), whereas fluctuating fossil fuel prices have made traditional power sources more costly and risky. Upping our reliance on wind power has also allowed us to lower our overall carbon footprint. If coal or natural gas were to be substituted to generate the electricity we now get from wind, it would put 28 million additional tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. Wind power also saves water by not requiring the billions of gallons of water used to cool coal-fired power plants, an increasingly contentious issue in arid areas with limited access to fresh water.

As for the contentious Cape Wind project proposed for Nantucket Sound in Massachusetts, the federal agency in charge, the U.S. Minerals Management Service, is sifting through tens of thousands of public comments and expects to make a final decision on the project by next winter. But even if they give it the green light, extensive permitting demands and legal challenges will likely hold up construction for years.

AWEA thinks that 2008 can be as much of a growth year as 2007 if Congress extends the PTC program. The Senate has already approved extending the PTC for at least one more year, but the House has yet to bring it up for a vote. Meanwhile, wind energy proponents are pacing the halls of Congress trying to persuade their Representatives that what’s good for the wind industry is good for America.

CONTACTS: American Wind Energy Association, www.awea.org; Cape Wind, www.capewind.org; U.S. Minerals Management Service, www.mms.gov.

Dear EarthTalk: I am getting married this summer and was wondering if you have any tips on how to make the festivities greener? — Tara McCarthy, Los Angeles, CA

You know environmental consciousness has really taken hold when couples start to worry about whether their weddings will be green enough. But more and more people who care deeply about the planet view getting married as a chance to show off their values; so green nuptials make all the sense in the world.

To help remove the guesswork, many couples turn to wedding planners well versed in environmental issues. According to Idaho-based Angel Wedding Planners, every element of the wedding planning process can provide an opportunity to make choices that minimize waste and environmental impact. One of the easiest places to do right by the environment is in choosing invitations. Angel suggests going with tree-free or recycled paper, and also points out that a one piece folded design can save paper and envelopes.

In regard to feeding your hungry and thirsty guests, Angel recommends sourcing food and drink from local organic producers, if possible. Some caterers specialize in preparing and serving such items. Organic flowers (from local vendors or online via Organic Bouquet) are another way to make a green statement.

Another way to help ensure that your wedding is as green as can be is by avoiding disposable products wherever possible. Caterers should use real dishes, linens, cutlery and glassware, or rent them if necessary. Other areas where “green” decisions can make a difference include: wedding attire (consider a dress rental or buying a used one and then re-selling it); transportation (carpooling works for weddings, too, at least from the wedding to the reception); photography (those disposable cameras at every table are fun but they can be very wasteful); and wedding registries (there are numerous to be found through a Google search, or support a local green store).

Speaking of the Internet, many websites have sprung up in recent years to make the process of planning a green wedding easier. Valerie Edmunds, founder of Green Elegance Weddings, hopes her company can make an important environmental contribution by directing some of the $25,000 people typically spend on a wedding toward greener products and services. Her advertising-supported website provides page after page of free useful information about eco-friendly wedding apparel, invitations, gifts, flowers, food and beverages, even the honeymoon. The site’s Resource Directory contains links to a wealth of online information and to businesses and organizations that provide related earth-friendly products and services.

Those looking for even more virtual handholding might want to visit the website, OurWeddingDay.com, which provides dozens of free online tools (including an “RSVP Manager,” Save-the-Date E-cards, a Gift Registry and an Event Manager) to help couples create the “ultimate green wedding from start to finish.” The site also posts hundreds of articles from leading bridal magazines so brides can save paper by not having to go out and purchase any of the 135 or so foot-thick bridal magazines clogging the newsstands.

CONTACTS: Angel Wedding Planners, www.angelweddingplanners.com; Organic Bouquet, www.organicbouquet.com; Green Elegance Weddings, www.greeneleganceweddings.com; OurWeddingDay.com, www.ourweddingday.com.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.