• Reading

    Random Fun Stuff: Book Harry and Ginny vs Movie, Romantic Tropes, The Longest Novels in the World, Etc.

    August 14, 2022 /

    10 TROPES We Hate About Rom Coms. This channel is just so good. I just love their breakdowns of various tropes, relationships, character development, etc. in entertainment.

    So here is another. Relationship Therapist Ranks Disney Romances. I so appreciate the breakdown of Tangled, love, love that movie, and this makes me love it more.

    A huge round of applause for this influencer acting out how awful movie Harry and Ginny were compared to the book. She does more book to movie differences, too.

    The Five Stages of Gender Reveal Parties. I’m crying. The headline.

    The Longest Novel Ever Written.

    Ancient Roman Bust Found at Goodwill. Absolutely wild.

    16 Personalities Confessing Their Love.

    For when you need the warm fuzzies, Top 5 Katniss and Peeta Moments. Those moments in Catching Fire always get me (they missed a few). They didn’t top those in the last (of course Peeta got wrecked by the author, so that kind of wrecked that).

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  • Reading

    Classic Club 10 Year Celebration Questionnaire Answers

    August 13, 2022 /

    See post on Classic Club here.

    When did you join the Classics Club?

    Looking through my old posts, it looks like I’ve been part of it since the first year, 2012 (I was not quite 22 at the time of my first post). I didn’t finish my first list, I forgot about it/fell off from it, and since I moved my blog, when the new moderators cleaned up their links, my old ones were removed since I didn’t update the links. Classic procrastinator.

    What is the best classic book you’ve read for the club so far? Why?

    I don’t think I have my old list saved any where (stupid, I need to remember to preserve this one in a post), so I’m going by the reviews I did manage on my blog. I started the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries and fell head over heels for him. I don’t care for all of the novels, but the ones I do are now on my comfort reads list.

    I see that I tried Jeeves and Wooster again (I didn’t get it when I tried for our church bookclub), and this time it stuck. Definitely another comfort read for me.

    What is the first classic you ever read?

    I can’t remember, I know my dad read Narnia to us when small. I know I loved Little Women as a tween and teen. And then later more of Alcott and LM Montgomery. My first “grown up” classics that I can recall was Pride and Prejudice at around 14 or 15, I believe (my mom borrowed after we watched the 95 version with friends, both the film and the book were a touch beyond my total comprehension at the time, but that started my JA novel/movie obsession of the time). I think I’d skimmed the Bronte novels, but I didn’t read the two most famous in their entirety until I was 19 I believe.

    Which classic book inspired you the most?

    I feel like the introduction to Jane Austen as well the homeschool classics blogging world as a teen as well as few years later as being part of a church book club got me more into the classics; my reading/focus ability crashed and burned due to some OCD or some mental break as a teen, all this slowly helped me back.

    What is the most challenging one you’ve ever read, or tried to read?

    Lis Mis was challenging in it’s length and tediousness. Same for Brothers Karamazov. Also, the philosophy of the latter was beyond me.

    Favorite movie adaptation of a classic? Least favorite?

    2022 gave me an easy least favorite, Persuasion. Favorite is harder. I’ve many Jane Austen adaptations, and some are more accurate than others, but in the last several years Emma 2009 has become a comfort movie for my sisters and me. I think that Emma herself is one of the least accurate, but the overall movie is peaceful (excluding Box Hill) and hilarious and the scenery is beautiful, the music is wonderful, and I just love the costumes.

    I grew up (at least teens I think) with the 1994 Little Women, so although the Laurie Jo plot still infuriates me to this day, nostalgia, you know?

    A childhood favorite was the 80’s made for tv Heidi. I watched that obsessively, and in my tiny heart crushed on Peter, envied Klara her boots, and called milkmaid braids Heidi braids until I learned as an adult they were already named milkmaid braids.

    I’m sure there are more (like I said, favorites are harder), but this is off the top of my head.

    Which classic character most reminds you of yourself?

    Marianne Dashwood.

    Has there been a classic title you expected to dislike and ended up loving? Respecting? Appreciating?

    Middlemarch was a dark house, and it was a slow start, but then I really got into it. I need to reread it. Talk of underwhelming adaptations and underappreciated classics.

    Also, after a couple other Russian tries, I was pleasantly surprised to find when starting Anna Karenina (I’d skimmed as a teen and maybe early twenties, not ready for it then, so I did know a lot of the story), that I enjoy it.

    Classic/s you are DEFINITELY GOING TO MAKE HAPPEN next year?

    Well, hopefully most of the ones on the list I don’t get to this year, since my end date is next September. I’m currently almost done with Anna Karenina, about to start Count of Monte Cristo, and hopefully will start War and Peace after that.

    Favorite memory with a classic and/or your favorite memory with The Classics Club?

    I love rewarding myself with film adaptations after finishing a novel. I did read a lot (but very repetitively) as a child, but I struggled as a teen, and I’m not naturally drawn to super long novels, so finishing a novel that is a bit harder to get through and then getting to watch a film is fun.

    I also of course love learning about new favorites to add to my comfort reads.

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  • Culture and Entertainment

    More White Collar Quotes

    July 23, 2022 /
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Fortunately I keep a secret key logger on my computer.”
    “I’ve never appreciated your distrust in me more.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Well, we talked. Moz told me about his Detroit days, he’d been running street cons since he was a kid.” “Hm notice my lack of surprise.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “I’m a gem expert.”
    “That’s true, and you asked to keep your distance from the FBI, I was doing you a favor.”
    “Oh, by conversing with my arch rival.”
    “Everyone’s your arch rival, Moz.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “The FBI has a gem vault and you didn’t tell me?”
    “Why give an alcoholic a drink?”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    Caffrey holding a printing plate for hundred dollar bills.
    Peter “I’m not comfortable with this.”
    “Really, you’re not comfortable? I have the men in black bobsled team breathing down my neck.”
    “These treasury agents are a little skeptical; you look like a twelve year old who just found the lingerie section of a Sears catalog.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Neal, if ever you do decide to grow up, you should realize this one thing, you can either be a con or man, you can’t be both.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    Peter relegated to the sidelines with a suspect’s daughter who asks, “What’s that thing on his leg.” “That’s a tracking anklet.”
    “I have an anklet. Wanna see?”
    “Yeah, oh cute, where’d you get it?”
    “My grandpa.”
    “Where’d he get his?”
    “It’s part of a Federal Release work program where, uhh — I gave it to him, it’s so I don’t lose him.”
    “Are you his grandpa?”
    “Weren’t you supposed to go to your room.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Remember when I said things were getting back to normal between me and Peter?”
    “Yeah, that’s sweet. One sentence in and I already hate this conversation.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Does the Vulture have a partner with expensive tastes?”
    “I have a partner with expensive taste.”
    Later, Peter to Sally and at Neal, “So whoever spent the money almost got you shot?”
    . . .  Neal to Sally “I apologize, but the plan drew out Brower, that should count for half a win.”
    Peter, “I’m going to get us the other half . . .  “We leaked security photos from your shopping spree.”
    Neal, “That way Brower takes his next shot at me, sounds fun.”
    Peter, “I love how we’re always on the same page.”
    Later, “What’s the plan if Brower doesn’t show up at the PO box.”
    “You spend 90 million dollars in 36 hours, he’ll show.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Send out the handsome one.”
    Neal starts getting out.
    “The one in the back.”
    Mozzie, “Consider that a lesson in modesty.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
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  • Culture and Entertainment

    What I Watched April: Why Didn’t They Ask Evans and White Collar

    July 22, 2022 /
    Why Didn’t They Ask Evans. This was so good. Just the perfect length and loved the scenery, wanted to steal some of Frankie’s clothes (well the dress she stole from her mother).
    “Frankie, I hope you won’t be offended if I tell you I’m not quite ready to kill myself over you yet.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    White Collar. I watched this in April and May I think. I loved this, then it turned sour for me at the end of season 2, beginning of season 3, I wasn’t expecting that so soon. I dislike that the build up of maturity and trust got torn down and reset. Terrible plotting, and I just felt the writing got weaker. After I sulked I came back and watched a bit more of season 3 in June, it bounced back a bit. I didn’t get back into it the same way, and I’m not sure how much more I will watch since I know there are other things I won’t like (Neal’s love life, I’m Neal and Sara forever, also felt like they rushed that a bit in season 3 considering how 2 left off).
    This show has such snappy dialogue, I love it. I got lots of quotes, and I think I could have got more. I’m splitting this into two posts. I think I accidently mixed up some of the chronology though.
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “What, you need me for this? You’re uncomfortable around the six year old.”
    “I don’t speak that language.”
    “I do?”
    “Yeah, you do, Peter Pan. Come on.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “He’s . . . odd?”
    “In a good way.”
    “Who is this guy?”
    Later, knocking
    “Mrs. Suit, I take it.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Ok, I don’t have it.”
    “Look at that, telling the truth, did it hurt?”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Isn’t that the place where you put Neal when he was first released.”
    “They have an interesting no heat policy.”
    “I don’t need amenities. Just give me a wall, a tv, and a bed and I’m happy.”
    “Are you serious?
    “Yeah.”
    “Peter mi casa su casa.”
    “Su casa is not even su casa.”
    Later
    “I’ve got to check into my hotel.”
    “No, no, no, motel, motel, with an ‘m.'”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “You’re letting the pantsuit use you as bait to catch Wilkes? Doesn’t that strike as insane?”
    “I’m going to a club, the feds will be outside”
    “This is the same Wilkes that wants you dismembered right?”
    “Dismembered is slightly overstating it, you are being paranoid.”
    “Paranoia is a skill, the secret to longevity.”
    My thoughts precisely.
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Mozzie still won’t tell me what he does for a living, do you know?”
    “I know enough not to ask.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “What’s your plan a gun in the glove compartment?”
    *Pause*
    “That’s your plan, a gun in the glove compartment!”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Admit it Peter, we’d make a pretty decent team.”
    “Bank robbers.”
    “I see you smiling, come on the infamous Caffrey and Burke, we’d be legends.”
    “Yeah, I can see the wanted posters right now but it would be Burke and Caffrey.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “I want this guy.”
    “Hell hath no fury like a Fed scorned.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Stay here and read it. ‘There are many things which a wise man might wish to be ignorant.'” “Emmerson.”
    “Very good. “
    “‘All of your quotes are getting on my nerves. Peter Burke.'”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “What are you doing in a Federal building dressed like Truman Capote?”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “What exactly is the nature of your relationship with Gina?”
    “Intellectual, literal, ongoing.”
    “Is he stalking her?”
    “I’d have to look up the legal definition.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “I haven’t slept since this whole thing started.”
    “Stomach hurt?”
    “A little bit.”
    “Got that parched thing happening.”
    “Yeah, my mouth’s a little dry.”
    “Hold on to that feeling. Remember it the next time you decide to infiltrate the den of a mobster on a whim or something equally cockeyed.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Neal came by; we had a nice little chat.”
    “Is he in one piece?”
    “Yes, I left him whole.”
    “Good, I prefer him that way.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “She has three known alias, she knows how to hide someone. Come on Peter, if you went on the run.”
    “I wouldn’t go on the run.”
    “Yeah, but if you did.”
    “Yes, I’m sure it’d be your fault.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “You stole one of Stan’s Murciélagos?”
    “We commandeered it.”
    “You G men and your manifest destiny.”
    “Mozzie how would you like to participate in a government sanctioned con?”
    “Involving a dirty Marshall, Stan, and one of his prize Lamborghinis, how about yes.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “It’s hard to picture you at a big financial firm. Been a life changer.”
    “That’s true.”
    “In some alternate universe you’d be wearing corporate ties, doing power lunches, flying corporate jets.” “Doubt we’d have ever met.”
    “Well, maybe, under different circumstances.”
    “Well, that’s true. You might’ve have robbed the company.”
    “Yep.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “I’m not working on anything.”
    “Which means Mozzie’s working on it.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
    “Oh no not at all, you are but a welcome and striking reprieve from the bureaucratic oppression in my midst.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “Hey, let’s make this quick, I need to get back to the office.”
    “Oh, first week and you are already a corporate shill. My condolences on your recently departed integrity.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
    “No.”
    “Come on, Peter.”
    “No, no. The FBI is not gonna pay for your combat training.”
    “Think about what I could do for you guys if I knew how to fight.”
    “No, No, I’d rather not. New York is safer is if Neal Caffery is lacking in at least one skillset.”
    “Yeah what about self-preservation?”
    “You’ve done pretty well with the whole running away thing.”
    ~~~~~~~~~
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  • Culture and Entertainment

    Bridgerton Season Two

    July 21, 2022 /

    Life must be hard for Anthony Bridgerton what with managing family finances, micromanaging his siblings, cold-bloodedly shopping for a suitable bride, drinking, whoring.

    “It was just a bee.”

    “There was a bee.”

    “Did you tell the viscount about the bee?” Oh, he knows, he knows very much about the bee sting.

    I just  . . . like . . . how everyone is so either “discerning” if they notice or just gradually “putting it together” that Anthony actually likes *Kate.* As if he isn’t smoldering at her all the time. Yes, I’m sure the reason why he’s staring at Kate 90% of the time its out of hatred, and that other 10% when he can’t, he’s  being boring and insipid with (the boring and insipid) Edwina because he cares for Edwina. Right.
    Oh. And he’s reeeeeallly, reeeeeeallllly fighting off his feelings too. That’s what following her around, staring some more, shoving aside any other men, etc. That, that is what that means.
    I just don’t get that he thought they wouldn’t immediately have an affair when he married Edwina. I mean if his this “restrained” now. That maybe, just maybe, possibly, just might be more scandalous than a simple breaking off of a courtship. Nope, let’s propose to the sister he doesn’t actually want. Let’s go and try and marry her and look at her sister. Because of “avoiding scandal” and “being honorable.” Honorable my eye. Honorable, because affairs are honorable. Yep, breaking an engagement, fleeing a wedding would totally be more scandalous than coming home from a super quick honeymoon and having an affair with her sister.
    And then once the wedding is off they have to do this farce and dilly-dally. Seriously run away and marry her. The extramarital stuff with a lady is 10000% worse than anything you’ve yet done dude. Also made NO sense for her. None. She had WAY too much self-respect for that. This scene and the weird shilly-shallying instead of getting married rather a buzzkill. Y’all we know they had the hots for each other. Avoiding a scandal would have them GET married.
    Honestly the book (which I skimmed and which is super disgusting, also Kate is a pushover) part where they have to get married because of the bee sting part (which .  . . is just an absolute gem of scene in the move) would have made much more sense. He keeps saying he is a gentleman (I do not think that means what you think it means). And dude, when has that stopped you?
    It’s funny, this season had less actual sex scenes but WAY more thirst ones.
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  • Culture and Entertainment

    What I Watched March 2022

    July 20, 2022 /
    Bridgerton, both seasons. I’ve written about season 1 already. I’ve got thoughts on season 2 coming up.
    Lady Bird. Rather sad.
    Silver Linings Playbook. Extremely difficult to watch. Also, what the heck exactly? I need to ask my medical sisters (sister 2 is a nurse (all nursing students have a psychiatric nursing course plus anything in their experience in hospitals), sister 3 works in a children’s psychiatric hospital and just got her public health degree and is going to start a nursing program, and sister 4 is working in a downtown hospital and is in nursing school) their opinions, they mentioned this movie among others when talking about mental illnesses, I think sister 2 said it was accurate?
    Win a Date with Tad Hamilton. I watched this after watching a Topher Grace interview. On his side it was cute, he’s quite a funny actor. I don’t find it inspiring or fun to watch the dumb innocent, essentially bimbo girl role.
    Brooklyn 99. I watched up to season 3 before getting bored. I realized I think oftentimes I need more going on in my shows. For example in Castle, Psych, and White Collar, the characters are solving intricate crimes AND are funny AND there is romance. Whereas here, it seems the focus in mainly on the humor which for me doesn’t always hit and isn’t enough for me and the romance is not the greatest. In addition to getting bored Amy’s sycophancy is rather triggering and just really not funny. However, some humor that I did enjoy was Gina and Boyle. I feel like that could have gone on longer or maybe even been a “thing.” (I realize I wrote on this show for Feb as well, oh well.)
    Rewatched some New Girl. I think I was mad the first time that Coach got replaced (even though he was only in one episode) that I don’t think I fully realized how hilarious Winston is. 2 great moments. 1) His earring phase and Nick’s reaction. 2) When he takes his car without realizing the stowaways in the back and is singing “Popular” in a really high voice and then discovers said surprise in the back.
    Started a few episodes of Kim’s Convenience. I got distracted by other shows, plus I find domineering fathers personally triggering. I think I might try more, since thanks to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings I have crush on Simu Liu.
    Derry Girls. I think I tried this in March or April, again, also would like to watch more. I think I only got a few episodes in.
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  • Reading

    What I Read the 1st 5 Months of 2022

    July 19, 2022 /

    I’ve not done well on reading this year, I’ve had a lot going on, and while I certainly had time still, I had a lot of misses, and I just wasn’t finding it easy to get into reading when nothing was inspiring and was too overwhelmed to try to find more options. I’m getting out of it, I decided to reread Jeeves and Wooster, and I also decided I was going to have to drive to the city for books since the library here isn’t enough, and the Kindle from the city library doesn’t have enough options.

    I read 4 books in Jan, 7 in Feb, 2 in March, 2 in April, and 1 in May.

    The Christmas Box. Eh.

    An Irish Country Doctor. Not worth continuing.

    The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. Eh. Decided not to read the Moonstone. That’s a large book for “eh.” I do want to watch the movie though.

    The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald. Cute and funny. Might try and read more of the series.

    “Things got mighty dull after The Great Brain decided to give up his crooked ways and to walk the straight and narrow. So dull Papa didn’t even bother to come upstairs and see if Tom was in bed the night the schoolhouse burned down. So dull there is no more to tell.”

    The Wintringham Mystery by Anthony Berkeley. Decent. I need to see if I can find more of this author on Thriftbooks or a similar site since this is all the library had.

    PG Wodehouse. Mike and Psmith and Jill the Reckless I enjoyed. Love Among the Chickens and Psmith in the City were meh.

    Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbot. Defies rating. Defies sense. I don’t know how my sister found this or what possessed the author to write it. If you read, don’t look up anything, any blurb, anything.

    Hunter’s Green and Woman without a Past by Phyllis A Whitney. Eh.

    Kingfisher by Patricia McKillip. I enjoyed, but my library didn’t have a lot of options on Libby.

    Geekerella by Ashley Poston. Cute, nothing to write home about.

    Nonfiction

    Taste: My Life Through Food. I found this interesting. His tone started jarring on me. And it did seem that all Italian cooking involved Italian herbs, tomatoes, and pasta.

    How Not to Die Alone by Logan Ury. I think I’m going to try and buy this. Or at least reread.

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  • Daily Life

    Summer Fun List 🌻

    July 18, 2022 /
    Also, see this, this, and this Darling Desi video for more summer vibes.
    Holidays
    Themes
    • Sunshine
    • Beach
    • Island
    • Adventure
    • Safari
    • Tropical
    • Jungle
    • Animals, Zoology, Oceanography
    • Nautical/Navy
    • Pirates
    • Westerns
    • summer sports movies
    • Vibrant, vivid
    • Bold, brave
    • Happy
    • Picnics
    • Island
    • Farming
    • Country
    Rereads
    • A Tangled Web  2021
    • Blue Castle 2021
    • Abby books  2021
    • Eight Cousins duology 2021
    • Ivanhoe 2021
      Katherine Paterson books 2021
    • Key to Extraordinary  2021
    • Mother 2021
    • Much Ado About Nothing 2021
    • Snicker of Magic 2021
    • Tangled Web 2021
    • The Borrowers 2021
    • To Kill a Mockingbird 2021
    • Ashtown Burials 2021
    • Leepike Ridge 2021
    • Annie Henry  2022
    • Little House books 2022
    • Boys of Blur 2022
    • Dianna Wynne Jones Books 2023
    • Mo and Dale Mysteries 2023
    • Witch of Blackbird Pond 2023
    • 100 Cupboards 2023
    • Stratton-Porter Books 2023
    • The Hunger Games 2024
    • MM Kaye 2024
    • Jane of Lantern HIll 2025
    • Magic for Marigold 2025
    • Corfu Trilogy 2025
    • Dandelion Wine
    Books
    • Classics Club
      • JULY Ben Franklin autobiography
      • JULY The Federalist and The Anti-Federalist Papers
      • A Good Man is Hard to Find or other Flannery O’Connor novel
      • 20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea or another novel by Jules Verne
      • A Toni Morrison novel
      • Another Maria Edgeworth novel
      • Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas SUMMER
      • Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
      • Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
      • Grapes of Wrath and/or East of Eden and/or Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
      • Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano
      • Kristen Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
      • O’ Pioneers and/or Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather
      • The Enchanted Castle and other works by E. Nesbit
      • Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson
      • War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
    • See Reading list
    • Jules Verne
    • Mariner
    • Western
    • Beachy
    • PG Wodehouse
    • Wendell Berry
    • That David Person of essays
    • A Season for Second Chances
    • Because of Winn Dixie, other animal stories
    Movies/TV
    • Westerns
      • Destry Rides Again (1939)
      • Along Came Jones (1945)
      • Texas Across the River (1966)
      • Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)
      • North to Alaska (1960)
      • Angel and the Badman (1947)
      • Gunfight in Abilene (1967)
      • The Virginian (2000)
      • The Sheepman (1958)
      • Saskatchewan (1954)
      • Hildago
      • Only the Valiant (Peck!!!)
    • Beachy/sea
    • Nautical
      • Gregory Peck Horatio Hornblower
      • The Horation Hornblower TV series
      • Master and Commander
      • Sea Hawk
    • 1940 P and P
    • Summer-y sports movies
      • Baseball
        • The Natural
        • Moneyball
        • Angels in the Outfield
        • 42
        • The Sandlot
        • A League of Their Own
        • Field of Dreams
      • Football
        • We are Marshall
        • Remember the Titans
        • Rudy
        • The Blind Side
        • Friday Night Lights
      • Tennis
        • Wimbledon
      • Golf
        • The Greatest Game Ever Played
        • Caddyshack
      • Soccer
        • Bend it Like Beckham
    • Adventure
      • Indiana Jones
      • National Treasure
    • Dirty Dancing 1 and 2
    • Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
    • Grease
    • Footloose
    • Indiana Jones (actually summer)
    • Fisherman’s Friends
    • The Dig
    • Aquamarine
    • 500 Days of Summer
    • Little Miss Sunshine
    • Pompeii
    • The Hannah Montana Movie
    • Roman Holiday
    • Say Anything
    • Monte Carlo
    • The Parent Trap
    • Walking on Sunshine
    • Crazy Rich Asians
    • Stand by Me
    • Adventureland?
    • The Notebook
    • A Room with a View
    • Anime Laid Back Camp
    • The Durrells
    • Mary Stewart Moonspiners
    Playlists
    Activities/Bucket List
    • Shaved Ice
    • Gelato
    • Farmers Market
    • Picnics
    • Lakes, beaches (except I prefer them cooler?!)
    • Swim with Bjorn
    • Peach and berry picking
    • Drive in movie
    • Gardening, picking, canning, and such
    • Make ice cream and sorbet
    • Tennis lessons
    • Horseback riding lessons
    • Work on my balcony, projects
    Taste/Scent
    • Citrus
    • Berries
    • Fresh air
    • florals
    • Garden produce
    Drinks
    • All types of lemonades
    • Iced tea (esp. Trade Winds Raspberry! I also need to find a good peach tea)
    • Cordials, punch, and such
    • To try:
      • White Peach Cranberry Juice mentioned by Marian
      • Milk tea from Elizabeth’s post
      • Find a recipe (I think I had one saved at one time) for a raspberry cordial like Anne and Diana thought they were drinking
      • I feel like I saw in a Little Women recipe book some sort of nectar drink I wanted to try
      • I also feel like I noticed a recipe in my Mitford cookbook a tea or punch or something I wanted to try
    Food
    • Sandwiches
    • Barbecues, grilled foods, cookouts, that type of food
    • Tacos, taco soup
    • Homemade ice-cream
    Colors
    • Bright berry and citrus and floral type colors
    • Bright ocean and beach colors
    • Earthy adventure/safari tones
    Fashion
    • Styles
      • Nautical
      • Beachy
      • Maxi
      • Vintage play suits
      • Palazzo pants
      • Summer-y boho
      • Clog sandals
      • Espadrilles
      • Not so much my style, but animal print, explorer/safari style fits well with summer
      • Straw hats
      • Hair scarves
    • Fabrics/Textures/Prints
      • Florals, brighter than Spring, dandelion prints
      • Watermelon, lemon, fruit prints
      • Polka dots
      • Nautical
      • Gingham
      • Stripes
      • Cotton voile
      • Linen
    • Nail Polish/Beauty
      • Bright colors
      • Sheer, jelly shimmers in bright colors
      • Self tanner?
    • Jewelry
      • Nose rings
      • Toe Rings
      • Anklets
      • Beach glass
      • Berries, global, rustic
      • Minimal jewelry?
      • Metallic temporary tattoos
      • Feather earrings
    Decor
    • Fresh flowers!!!!
    • Bowls of fruit
    • Seashells, sea glass
    • Baskets
    • Gauzy curtains
    • Polka dot or checked or striped table cloths
    • Outdoor living mainly
    • Hammocks
    • Gardens
    Again, please offer any suggestions!!!!!
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  • Culture and Entertainment

    The New Persuasion 2022: Alcoholic Anne and Weed Wentworth

    July 17, 2022 /

    My sister sent me a text bewailing the new trailer for Persuasion 2022, so I watched it. I could barely make it through, and my sister’s texts seemed to imply she muted it at some point. My sister said Americans shouldn’t be allowed to adapt Jane Austen. All of my sisters and my sister-in-law planned to watch it this weekend.

    I’m not sure what the filmmakers were aiming for in tone. I doubt serious. Was the love story supposed to be taken seriously and the overall tone light, is THAT what they were attempting? Ha. As plain comedy, not clever or funny. As parody, the same. So much vulgarity. The “innuendos” were so bald they weren’t innuendos, nor remotely clever in any way. Again, was that supposed to be parody?

    It almost felt like they were trying to imitate the 2020 Emma; you can’t do Persuasion with bad writers and filmmakers, Emma’s story works with an actually well-written light comedic adaptation. Like my sister said, those filmmakers understood Jane Austen. My sister in law said Pride and Prejudice could have been done with a similar tone (again with actually talented filmmakers), and I said, yes not the moody, melancholy, melodramatic tone Pride and Prejudice 2005 was done in, again something JA would have mocked. I feel like this Persuasion was so bad, Jane Austen might have been beyond mocking it.

    It felt like it was written by a woman with the mind of a pervy ten year old American boy (I’d originally just said the boy, but my brother said no boy would write or read Jane Austen, true). We did laugh at some lines. Sometimes because they were actually funny or the situational comedy was funny (one sister thought Mary particularly good), but mostly just because everything was so awkward, uncomfortable, and absurd.

    Everything was s. p. e. l. l. e. d. out like we were six year olds. See, my daddy is arrogant. See, I am the good person (are you though?). The modern language. The breaking of the 4th wall which Anne did in the 2008 Persuasion and which is a particular pet peeve of mine, this Anne made 10x more annoying by attempting to be mischievous . . . or something. Nothing about this Anne made it at all believable that she was persuadable. So the plot and title didn’t make sense.

    Several of the girls thought Wentworth was the ugliest man ever and were disappointed Henry Golding wasn’t the leading man. Wentworth definitely looked working class and not a gentleman. I didn’t think he was ugly, but when he started talking, his expressions and eyelids were so off, we determined he looked high. Which pairs well with Anne, since she was an alcoholic.

    I and another sister thought Charles Musgrove was the best-looking. What was Anne thinking? However, a) she didn’t deserve him (honestly I liked Mary better than her, not that Mary deserved him either), and b) we wouldn’t have received that gem of a dinner scene had she accepted him nor that scene I mostly missed of him carrying Mary like a sack of potatoes.

    We watched maybe two-thirds before the guys came back, and we had supper. They asked us, after our complaints why we were still watching, and to see if we’d notice, bumped the time up 20 minutes. Oh, we noticed, I was watching the clock the whole movie to see if it was almost finished. I paid less attention to the last 15 or so minutes they’d left us (oddly, no one wanted to go back to where we’d actually paused).

    Oh, I also thought maybe they were trying for Bridgerton effects with some of the modernization (except they picked bad (i.e. horny alcoholic “heroine”, vulgar simplistic puerile language) or unrealistic modernization and didn’t blend it in, and it doesn’t work, JA is set it it’s time, Bridgerton is fantasy (in so many ways) and Bridgerton picked well and blended well by comparison (like the costumes and the music, LOVED those, also, clearly talented people behind that, unlike in this movie).  Y’all, Bridgerton is silly, silly, silly, but it is at least funny (although perhaps not always intentionally), bright, light, pretty, and cohesive. Persuasion  2022 makes Bridgerton look brilliant.

     

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  • Culture and Entertainment

    Happy Independence Day!

    July 4, 2022 /
    american flag
    (creative commons photo from pexel)

    Yesterday, I was searching for Patriotic/Revolutionary movies to watch. And ended up watching Top Gun (more Americana/Patriotic than Independence Day, but I couldn’t psych myself up to watch The Patriot quite yet, meant to watch it today, but I think I’m going to have to think about that a bit more).

    Anywho. I’m currently red (sunburn, oops), white (no tan), and blue (my eyes) at the moment. I spent some fun time in the pool at my parents. So did Bjorn, minus the fun. Maybe he’ll get used to it eventually.

    Also, the Spotify picks for the 4th were pathetic, so I’ve started my own playlist here.

     

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  • Daily Life

    Life Lately

    June 20, 2022 /

    Edit and note. Don’t write posts on days when you are feeling a bit blue. Rather warps perception you know? Actually I knew this was rather whiney then, but the next day? Wow, I’m embarrassed. So let’s try some rephrasing/reformatting.

    Wins:

    • I’ve been doing a local web development course which is more helpful than I expected (and it’s free!).
    • I’ve been running (I’m on my 3rd week) with the C25k program. And I’ve been getting up early to accomplish this.
    • I’ve been adding a walk in on most of my non-run days this last week, so out of the last 8 days, I’ve hit at least 10,000 steps.
    • I’m working with my doctor on some elimination diets to see if I have food allergies, so I’ve been eating better and have lost 3 pounds in the last two weeks.
    • I’ve not read much this year, so I got the Jeeves and Wooster books to try to get me out of the slump. I also started The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea for Darling Desi’s June Buddy Read. I’ve not got far but its got perfectly mystical summer vibes.
    • I’ve not killed any plants I bought, and it looks like I’m going to be getting some tomatoes to eat very soon (I’ve already been using my herbs).

    Fun Stuff

    • I went strawberry picking with my mom (and ate all the strawberries within the week, yum!).
    • I made this carrot cake for memorial day, definitely a winner. I, of course, forgot to take a photo.
    • My sisters and sister-in-law bought tickets for the travelling broadway Anastasia that is coming back to town this August. Remember the one I was trying to go to for my 30th and covid cancellation? That one. I think its going to be way more fun this way. Especially since I can get a ride with someone.
    • Looking forward to blackberry and peach season!

    Things to Work On

    • I’m rather burned out/overwhelmed a bit/underneath it all. This usually shows up on the weekends. And I’m going to crash and burn if I don’t start matching an earlier bed time with my early rise time. I also feel like I need to figure out how to get more energy and time management because my life is easy, so I feel like I should feel like I have more time and energy.
    • Time management/information overload. I think this should help the above some. I have about 60 tabs on my main browser and many on my two(!) secondary browsers. And yeah, my mind might be kind of like that. I don’t need to keep up with all the influencers, channels, etc. I don’t need to research every single topic to the nth degree.
    • My cholesterol is high so I got put on cholesterol medication. This is the major motivation for my exercise and a motivation to work on my diet more. My goal is to get off the medication as soon as I can.

     

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