I am finally signed up for the fall semester of school! I am really excited but I will be so busy I'm not going to be at home with my family very much. Some weeknights I am going to stay with my grandma, who lives right down the street from the school, because I have an early class the next day.
I am taking three English classes and one History class. That is mainly why I am excited, because I'm not dreading any of my classes this year. : )
Here is what my life is going to look like starting August 23rd.
Monday and Wednesday
History class at 11:00am
Work 1:00pm-5:00pm
Do homework
Stay the night at Grandma's house
Tuesday and Thursday
Three English classes in a row, 8:00am-1:45pm
Go home for about two hours
Work 5:00pm-9:00pm
Stay the night at home
Friday
History class at 11:00am
Then I am free for the entire weekend! I will be at home during the weekends, hopefully finding time to hang out with my family but probably catching up on homework. With three English classes (and one of them is "Writing Intensive") I will have a lot of papers to write.
I hope this schedule leaves me time to write on this blog! I managed last semester but I feel like I am busier this year for some reason. My classes were very spread out last year so I did a lot of blogging in the school library when I had time between classes.
Tomorrow I am going to see How to Train Your Dragon with some friends, so I will probably post about that tomorrow night.
~Jane~
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Robin Hood season 3
Warning, there are spoilers below for BBC's Robin Hood series. : )
I am now on season three of Robin Hood, and I am really enjoying it. I heard a lot of bad things about season three and I almost decided not to watch it, but I'm not sure why it was so disliked by everyone. I actually think that this is my favorite season so far.
The difference could be that most people liked Marian and I didn't. I don't miss her at all. In fact, I think that the show is a lot better without her. I feel bad saying that, but I couldn't enjoy the first two seasons because I hated the way she flip flopped between Robin and Guy. I just wanted her to be honest and stop torturing poor Sir Guy like that. The man was so confused. She would flirt with him to get what she wanted, then she would all of a sudden want to have nothing to do with him.
I really like this season. There is more at stake, the rivalry between Guy and Robin seems more real after what happened, the fight scenes are more intense. I love that the Sheriff and Guy finally turned against each other. It was bound to happen.
I already know how the whole thing ends, but I am excited to see how we will get there.
~Jane~
I am now on season three of Robin Hood, and I am really enjoying it. I heard a lot of bad things about season three and I almost decided not to watch it, but I'm not sure why it was so disliked by everyone. I actually think that this is my favorite season so far.
The difference could be that most people liked Marian and I didn't. I don't miss her at all. In fact, I think that the show is a lot better without her. I feel bad saying that, but I couldn't enjoy the first two seasons because I hated the way she flip flopped between Robin and Guy. I just wanted her to be honest and stop torturing poor Sir Guy like that. The man was so confused. She would flirt with him to get what she wanted, then she would all of a sudden want to have nothing to do with him.
I really like this season. There is more at stake, the rivalry between Guy and Robin seems more real after what happened, the fight scenes are more intense. I love that the Sheriff and Guy finally turned against each other. It was bound to happen.
I already know how the whole thing ends, but I am excited to see how we will get there.
~Jane~
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Uninspired
For some reason I have been really uninspired this summer. I really do want to write more posts on this blog, but I just don't feel strongly enough about anything right now to write about it, because I haven't been doing much reading. Usually during the summer I read deeper books, classics, but this summer I've just been so lazy. The past few years I've tackled a Dickens novel during the summer, but I just don't have the bravery to dive into one this year. (I love Dickens, by the way, his novels just get a little too complicated for my wandering brain. I am easily distracted and I don't like to keep track of lots of characters.)
So, until I feel inspired by literature again, I'll just continue to post random snippets of my life and hope that I still have readers by the end of the summer. : )
Today I slept in, ate waffles, went swimming, watched Peter Pan and ate kettle corn. It was lovely.
I have a song stuck in my head that plays on the Christian radio station. It's by Group 1 Crew. The lyrics are beautiful.
Take me away
Save me from myself and all I do
Cause life just ain't the same when I'm with you
I can climb the sky
You've got me walking on the stars
Now, I can see my life from way up high
And now the troubles I once knew I left behind
I can climb the sky
You've got me walking on the stars.
So, until I feel inspired by literature again, I'll just continue to post random snippets of my life and hope that I still have readers by the end of the summer. : )
Today I slept in, ate waffles, went swimming, watched Peter Pan and ate kettle corn. It was lovely.
I have a song stuck in my head that plays on the Christian radio station. It's by Group 1 Crew. The lyrics are beautiful.
Take me away
Save me from myself and all I do
Cause life just ain't the same when I'm with you
I can climb the sky
You've got me walking on the stars
Now, I can see my life from way up high
And now the troubles I once knew I left behind
I can climb the sky
You've got me walking on the stars.
I just made this picture on Picnik.com, it is actually my silhouette.
~Jane~
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Change of plans
Well, I have changed my mind once again. You all probably think I'm very wishy-washy. I wanted to do a blog event in early August, but now I think I will cancel that plan until further notice. I have a few different reasons for this decision.
1. I am ridiculously busy right now. I have to write for this blog and the two story blogs I'm a part of, I am planning a birthday party for someone in our church, I need to finish getting all signed up for the fall semester of school, and I really need to finish editing my novel eventually. Those are just a few examples of all the multitudes of things I need to be doing instead of making a blog event. : )
2. There is another blog event going on in August that I am excited to participate in! Thoughts of a Shieldmaiden is doing an Alice in Wonderland event! Isn't that a wonderful idea? I loved that movie and I am really looking forward to coming up with some great posts for this.
1. I am ridiculously busy right now. I have to write for this blog and the two story blogs I'm a part of, I am planning a birthday party for someone in our church, I need to finish getting all signed up for the fall semester of school, and I really need to finish editing my novel eventually. Those are just a few examples of all the multitudes of things I need to be doing instead of making a blog event. : )
2. There is another blog event going on in August that I am excited to participate in! Thoughts of a Shieldmaiden is doing an Alice in Wonderland event! Isn't that a wonderful idea? I loved that movie and I am really looking forward to coming up with some great posts for this.
3. I think if I am going to do a blog event, I would have to do it during the winter, because I just feel so lazy when it's this hot outside! All I want to do is sit around inside and read fluffy books and drink iced tea. I just don't have the motivation to think of posts and make it interesting. : )
Let me know if you plan to participate in the Almost Alice event, I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone's posts.
~Jane~
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Story blog
I have just joined another story writing blog that my sister Darby created. I haven't posted yet, but I'm really excited to. Both Darby and my other sister Ashley have already posted and I am very impressed. I knew they were writers, but I didn't know they were that good. Go take a look and keep a look out for my contribution, coming up soon!
~Jane~
~Jane~
My life according to Jars of Clay
I got this tag from Facebook, so I don't know where it came from originally.
Rules:
Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "My life according to (band name)."
Are you a male or female?
"Only Alive"
Describe yourself:
"Like a Child"
How do you feel:
"I'm Alright"
Describe where you currently live:
"This Road"
If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
"Shipwrecked" "Worlds Apart"
Your favorite form of transportation:
"Fly"
Your best friend is:
"Something Beautiful"
What's the weather like:
"Sunny Days", "Light Gives Heat"
Favorite time of day:
"Goodbye, Goodnight"
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
"Tea and Sympathy"
What is life to you:
"Crazy Times"
Your favorite color is:
"Fade to Grey"
Your fear:
"The Long Fall"
Your relationship:
"Disappear"
What is the best advice you have to give:
"Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder"
Thought for the Day:
"No One Loves Me Like You"
How I would like to die:
"In the Bleak Midwinter"
My soul's present condition:
"Peace Is Here"
My motto:
"There Might Be a Light"
I tag everyone who reads my blog and cares to try this post.
~Jane~
P.S.
Jars of Clay is my favorite band ever. : )
Rules:
Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "My life according to (band name)."
Are you a male or female?
"Only Alive"
Describe yourself:
"Like a Child"
How do you feel:
"I'm Alright"
Describe where you currently live:
"This Road"
If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
"Shipwrecked" "Worlds Apart"
Your favorite form of transportation:
"Fly"
Your best friend is:
"Something Beautiful"
What's the weather like:
"Sunny Days", "Light Gives Heat"
Favorite time of day:
"Goodbye, Goodnight"
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
"Tea and Sympathy"
What is life to you:
"Crazy Times"
Your favorite color is:
"Fade to Grey"
Your fear:
"The Long Fall"
Your relationship:
"Disappear"
What is the best advice you have to give:
"Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder"
Thought for the Day:
"No One Loves Me Like You"
How I would like to die:
"In the Bleak Midwinter"
My soul's present condition:
"Peace Is Here"
My motto:
"There Might Be a Light"
I tag everyone who reads my blog and cares to try this post.
~Jane~
P.S.
Jars of Clay is my favorite band ever. : )
Monday, July 19, 2010
Blog event coming up
Remember when I said I would have a blog event soon? That was several months ago. I promised that I would do a blog event when I got to 20 followers. Now I have 53 followers, so I think it's about time I followed through on that promise.
The dates will be (probably) August 2-8, and the theme will be announced later this week.
All you who have done a blog event before, would you be interested in chatting with me and helping me come up with a name and rules and a button and all that fun stuff? We could be joint hosts of the event. : )
~Jane~
The dates will be (probably) August 2-8, and the theme will be announced later this week.
All you who have done a blog event before, would you be interested in chatting with me and helping me come up with a name and rules and a button and all that fun stuff? We could be joint hosts of the event. : )
~Jane~
Friday, July 16, 2010
Random Friday
1. Once I had a dream that there was this old victorian house on the corner of our street. It a was beautiful but really run down and lonely. It was set back from the road between two trees. In my dream I was going to fix it up and live in it, and it gave me the strangest feeling, like it was meant to be.
When I woke up I realized that there is no victorian house there, it is a modern house on that lot. But the trees are there, and the modern house is set a little closer to the road than the victorian house was. Every time I drive by that spot I automatically look for that house. It should be sitting right behind the one that is there now. Even though I know it was only a dream, I expect it to be there. When I look for it, I can see it in my mind's eye and for an instant I feel like I have caught a glimpse into the past and there must have been a house there long ago.
2. I am a very quiet person in many situations, and it seldom means I am upset. Usually I am simply enjoying the conversation going on around me and I have nothing to add, so I just listen. Also, I am not very good at having a conversation when I don't know a person really well.
"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess, of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done."
For some reason it takes me a really long time to get to know someone well enough to talk freely without feeling awkward. And, of course, if I care about what you think of me, that makes it even worse. I can easily chit-chat with someone at the checkout counter at the store, because I will probably never see them again so there's no pressure. If I like you and want to be friends, I get awkward and stutter and don't know what to say and usually make a quick escape from the conversation. That is why I prefer the written word, where I can translate my thoughts more fluently. : )
3. I love musicals! I love the songs and dancing, and I love the way the music fits with the story. Sometimes they hit upon just the right phrase and just the right notes, and it tells the story in a way that cannot possibly be translated into another form of storytelling. The actual notes of the music add an emotional element to the story that is impossible to describe in words. I like to listen to soundtracks from musicals because, unlike normal songs, you know what the backstory is and so it is that much more powerful to listen to.
I realized recently that a lot of my favorite movies are musicals. I love Newsies and Singin' in the Rain and The Phantom of the Opera and That Thing You Do and White Christmas.
~Jane~
When I woke up I realized that there is no victorian house there, it is a modern house on that lot. But the trees are there, and the modern house is set a little closer to the road than the victorian house was. Every time I drive by that spot I automatically look for that house. It should be sitting right behind the one that is there now. Even though I know it was only a dream, I expect it to be there. When I look for it, I can see it in my mind's eye and for an instant I feel like I have caught a glimpse into the past and there must have been a house there long ago.
2. I am a very quiet person in many situations, and it seldom means I am upset. Usually I am simply enjoying the conversation going on around me and I have nothing to add, so I just listen. Also, I am not very good at having a conversation when I don't know a person really well.
"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess, of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done."
For some reason it takes me a really long time to get to know someone well enough to talk freely without feeling awkward. And, of course, if I care about what you think of me, that makes it even worse. I can easily chit-chat with someone at the checkout counter at the store, because I will probably never see them again so there's no pressure. If I like you and want to be friends, I get awkward and stutter and don't know what to say and usually make a quick escape from the conversation. That is why I prefer the written word, where I can translate my thoughts more fluently. : )
3. I love musicals! I love the songs and dancing, and I love the way the music fits with the story. Sometimes they hit upon just the right phrase and just the right notes, and it tells the story in a way that cannot possibly be translated into another form of storytelling. The actual notes of the music add an emotional element to the story that is impossible to describe in words. I like to listen to soundtracks from musicals because, unlike normal songs, you know what the backstory is and so it is that much more powerful to listen to.
I realized recently that a lot of my favorite movies are musicals. I love Newsies and Singin' in the Rain and The Phantom of the Opera and That Thing You Do and White Christmas.
~Jane~
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Tutorial and giveaway
There is a new tutorial up at Simply Handmade by Paige about how to make a necklace out of a metal washer. The best part is that she is giving one of these lovely pendants away! Go check it out for yourself.
Letter
Sometimes when it's really late and I don't want to go to bed yet, I write a letter from one imaginary person to another. I don't usually know what I'm going to say, I just start out with the first sentence and keep going. This is the first one that I wrote, lightly edited for coherency.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My dearest brother,
We are all faring well here. Mum has had a slight cold, but nothing to take alarm at. We have all had colds in turn but have gotten over it tolerably well.
Frances came over to visit yesterday. She said the visit was to check on Mum, but really it was to ask after you. She very discreetly brought up the subject of war, and would not leave off until she saw your latest letter. As it was not an overly personal letter, and your location, weather and plans for the future had been censored out, I felt it a safe enough thing to show your nosy admirer.
She does like you, I believe, enough to almost make me feel sorry for her. But I do not blame you either. She does not deserve you; I only wish she loved someone she did deserve. I think Mr. Todd is a perfect match for her, and I am trying my hardest to convince them both of the fact.
But I know you did not ask me to write so I could tell you of my latest matchmaking attempts. You asked me to write of news, and to keep you posted on how the locals are faring. I’m guessing that when you asked for news, you had someone specific in mind, so I will try to fulfill your unspoken request.
Rose will not be wed, as so many thought; she has rejected the young man’s proposal. As it was a near perfect match, I can only guess at the reason. It is possible that she is waiting to hear from a certain young officer; in which case, I would write to her immediately and inquire about her expectations in a subtle way. If she has not a thought of you, she will not recognize your implications, but if, as I believe, she is hoping and waiting for your letter, she will surely understand you. Please, take my advice on this point. I love you both dearly, and to see you happy and together would be my dearest dream come true.
As for myself, of whom you also requested news, I am doing as well as can be expected. With you gone and Emmaline getting married in the fall, I have had no one to talk to except Rose, who has also been tremendously busy in her newly planted garden. I have tried to help her, but gardening is a quiet occupation, and I long for your teasing and friendly conversation. Rose has a natural green thumb, and has worked miracles everywhere since you’ve been here last. Where I could grow only weeds, Rose has made blooming beds of flowers, and herbs for Mrs. Lindy.
If Rose works miracles with the earth, Mrs. Lindy works them in sick people. Our own little Katie had the most horrible cough; I thought she’d never be free from it. But Mrs. Lindy came for a visit, listened to her raspy breathing, and prescribed an herb to be taken in tea form. Within twenty four hours the cough had subsided.
Did I tell you I started making a new quilt? It is a memory quilt, with all of our worn out play clothes and aprons sewn into it. The designs represent some of my favorite memories of our family. I mean to send it to you as soon as I can finish it. It will warm your body on cold nights, and I hope warm your heart when it begins to long for home.
I have made a new friend recently. Her name is Sarah, and she only moved into town in the last couple of weeks. She seems very smart, and friendly, but she is a quiet sort of girl. As I tend to be quiet myself, I prefer to have companions who will do the talking for both of us. I would rather listen to clever people than attempt to be clever myself. But I have tried to sacrifice my natural tendencies to make Sarah feel welcome. It has been more difficult than I imagined. I have been so wrapped up in my own affairs, that putting them aside for someone has become more difficult. I can only try to do what you would do, were you here. Having you gone makes me realize how much we all depend on you.
Please, write back and tell me how you are, so I can tell Rose, who just now interrupted me to ask after you.
Thinking of you,
Your sister Jane
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My dearest brother,
We are all faring well here. Mum has had a slight cold, but nothing to take alarm at. We have all had colds in turn but have gotten over it tolerably well.
Frances came over to visit yesterday. She said the visit was to check on Mum, but really it was to ask after you. She very discreetly brought up the subject of war, and would not leave off until she saw your latest letter. As it was not an overly personal letter, and your location, weather and plans for the future had been censored out, I felt it a safe enough thing to show your nosy admirer.
She does like you, I believe, enough to almost make me feel sorry for her. But I do not blame you either. She does not deserve you; I only wish she loved someone she did deserve. I think Mr. Todd is a perfect match for her, and I am trying my hardest to convince them both of the fact.
But I know you did not ask me to write so I could tell you of my latest matchmaking attempts. You asked me to write of news, and to keep you posted on how the locals are faring. I’m guessing that when you asked for news, you had someone specific in mind, so I will try to fulfill your unspoken request.
Rose will not be wed, as so many thought; she has rejected the young man’s proposal. As it was a near perfect match, I can only guess at the reason. It is possible that she is waiting to hear from a certain young officer; in which case, I would write to her immediately and inquire about her expectations in a subtle way. If she has not a thought of you, she will not recognize your implications, but if, as I believe, she is hoping and waiting for your letter, she will surely understand you. Please, take my advice on this point. I love you both dearly, and to see you happy and together would be my dearest dream come true.
As for myself, of whom you also requested news, I am doing as well as can be expected. With you gone and Emmaline getting married in the fall, I have had no one to talk to except Rose, who has also been tremendously busy in her newly planted garden. I have tried to help her, but gardening is a quiet occupation, and I long for your teasing and friendly conversation. Rose has a natural green thumb, and has worked miracles everywhere since you’ve been here last. Where I could grow only weeds, Rose has made blooming beds of flowers, and herbs for Mrs. Lindy.
If Rose works miracles with the earth, Mrs. Lindy works them in sick people. Our own little Katie had the most horrible cough; I thought she’d never be free from it. But Mrs. Lindy came for a visit, listened to her raspy breathing, and prescribed an herb to be taken in tea form. Within twenty four hours the cough had subsided.
Did I tell you I started making a new quilt? It is a memory quilt, with all of our worn out play clothes and aprons sewn into it. The designs represent some of my favorite memories of our family. I mean to send it to you as soon as I can finish it. It will warm your body on cold nights, and I hope warm your heart when it begins to long for home.
I have made a new friend recently. Her name is Sarah, and she only moved into town in the last couple of weeks. She seems very smart, and friendly, but she is a quiet sort of girl. As I tend to be quiet myself, I prefer to have companions who will do the talking for both of us. I would rather listen to clever people than attempt to be clever myself. But I have tried to sacrifice my natural tendencies to make Sarah feel welcome. It has been more difficult than I imagined. I have been so wrapped up in my own affairs, that putting them aside for someone has become more difficult. I can only try to do what you would do, were you here. Having you gone makes me realize how much we all depend on you.
Please, write back and tell me how you are, so I can tell Rose, who just now interrupted me to ask after you.
Thinking of you,
Your sister Jane
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Make believe prize
My entry in Wickfield's Peter Pan blog event won in it's category! You can read it here: Slightly Different.
Long Q&A tag
Where's your phone right now?
In my purse which is on the floor next to me.
Do you have any plans for the weekend?
I have plans with friends on Thursday, but that doesn't really count as the weekend. On Saturday I think I am going to my sister's house.
Has someone ever made you a promise and broke it?
Probably, but I can't remember any specific times.
Last movie/DVD watched?
I'm watching Penelope right now. I like this movie. : )
Does anything hurt on your body?
I have a sunburn on my face! We went swimming this afternoon with some friends.
How are you?
I'm pretty good.
Are you excited for next year?
There are some things about next year that I am excited about and some things that I'm not. I guess I am excited to see what next year holds, whether it's good or bad.
Is your room clean?
No, not very.
How many pillows do you sleep with?
Two.
What are you doing?
Sitting in the living room with my laptop.
I bet you miss somebody right now?
No, not anybody in particular.
What are you planning on doing after this?
Reading a book and going to bed.
Have you ever read an entire book in one day?
Yes! I read a series of seven books in one week.
Who did you push last?
Probably my brother Kevin. : )
Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with?
I don't know.
Do you own any band t-shirts?
Not currently, but I would like to own an Owl City shirt and a Jars of Clay shirt.
What does your hair look like right now?
It is twisted up in a bun and clipped with a big alligator clip.
Has anyone ever told you that you were their best friend?
Yes.
Did you get hurt today?
Surprisingly no.
When was the last time you felt upset?
I don't know.
What are you looking forward to?
I am looking forward to hanging out with my friends on Thursday afternoon.
Do you currently want something?
I'm sure I want a lot of things. Currently I want a cup of hot peppermint tea.
What was the last thing you had to drink?
Iced tea with dinner.
Who was the last person you said "I love you" to?
It think it was my sister Darby.
Where are you?
I am in my house, sitting in the living room.
Do you like to walk in the rain?
Only if it's not too cold or raining really hard.
Do you like looking up at the stars?
Yes.
Do you like swimming?
Sometimes.
Have you ever swam in the ocean?
Yes, in Florida! It was fun, but the salty water made me sick when I accidentally swallowed some. Yuck.
Do you go to school?
I do now that I'm in college, but I was home schooled all the way through high school.
Do you want to go to college?
Yes, I'm in college.
What do you want to be?
I want to be a stay at home mom and hopefully also a published author.
Do you want kids?
Yes, I love kids.
Do you like going to the beach?
Well, I've only been once, but I loved it.
Who is the last person you went to the mall with?
Last week a bunch of people from our church met at the mall to have a photo scavenger hunt. It was really fun.
Have you ever had any x-rays?
Yes, I had my foot x-rayed a few years ago when I twisted it and we thought it might be broken. It was only a bad sprain, but I hobbled around on crutches for almost a month.
Who do you hate right now?
I don't think I hate anyone. I do dislike a few people, but I wouldn't say that I hate them.
Who was the last to cook you food?
Mom made dinner for everyone a few hours ago. Chicken and rice, and it was delicious.
What did you do 2 nights ago?
I went to my sister's house and watched television.
Who was the last person you were on the phone with?
My dad.
Does a hug make you feel better?
It depends on why I am feeling sad and who is doing the hugging. Sometimes when I am feeling down I just want to be by myself for awhile.
How long ago did you hug someone?
About an hour ago.
Anything good happening tomorrow?
A new day, sunshine, coffee, blogging and family.
Do you have unlimited texting?
Yes.
Will you keep your last name when you get married?
No, that would be silly. How would you decide what last name the children would have?
You have to get a piercing, what do you get?
I already have my ears pierced. I wouldn't want another piercing.
Who was the last friend you got into a big argument with?
I am not sure.
Will you be in a relationship in the next couple months?
It's not likely, but who knows?
Did you have any unread text messages when you woke up today?
No.
Do you want to see somebody right now?
Not particularly right now.
When was the last time you had a late night phone call?
A few years ago. My friend called and we talked for a few hours. That is unusual for me, because I don't like talking on the phone.
If you could move somewhere else, would you?
I would move to a different house, but I don't think I would like moving to a new town.
Would you be able to date someone who doesn't make you laugh?
No, I don't think so. I love people who make me laugh.
Has anyone ever sang to you?
Happy birthday.
When was the last time you bit someone?
I have no idea.
Do you think you can love someone without trusting them?
I think you can choose to love someone without trusting them, but I don't think you can fall in love with someone without trusting them.
Is there someone who you can spend every minute with and be happy?
Not every minute. I like to be alone sometimes.
Last person to make you smile?
My brother.
If you're being extremely quiet, what does it mean?
Everyone always asks me what's wrong when I'm quiet, but for me being quiet is just a normal thing. If I don't have anything to say I just listen.
Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
No.
Do you have trust issues?
No, I don't think so.
Was this a good weekend?
Yes it was! We had a big storm on Sunday, and you know how much I love storms.
Were you happy when you woke up today?
I wasn't happy or sad. I don't fully wake up in the morning until I pull my hair back and have a cup of coffee.
I tag anyone who wants to do this.
~Jane~
In my purse which is on the floor next to me.
Do you have any plans for the weekend?
I have plans with friends on Thursday, but that doesn't really count as the weekend. On Saturday I think I am going to my sister's house.
Has someone ever made you a promise and broke it?
Probably, but I can't remember any specific times.
Last movie/DVD watched?
I'm watching Penelope right now. I like this movie. : )
Does anything hurt on your body?
I have a sunburn on my face! We went swimming this afternoon with some friends.
How are you?
I'm pretty good.
Are you excited for next year?
There are some things about next year that I am excited about and some things that I'm not. I guess I am excited to see what next year holds, whether it's good or bad.
Is your room clean?
No, not very.
How many pillows do you sleep with?
Two.
What are you doing?
Sitting in the living room with my laptop.
I bet you miss somebody right now?
No, not anybody in particular.
What are you planning on doing after this?
Reading a book and going to bed.
Have you ever read an entire book in one day?
Yes! I read a series of seven books in one week.
Who did you push last?
Probably my brother Kevin. : )
Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with?
I don't know.
Do you own any band t-shirts?
Not currently, but I would like to own an Owl City shirt and a Jars of Clay shirt.
What does your hair look like right now?
It is twisted up in a bun and clipped with a big alligator clip.
Has anyone ever told you that you were their best friend?
Yes.
Did you get hurt today?
Surprisingly no.
When was the last time you felt upset?
I don't know.
What are you looking forward to?
I am looking forward to hanging out with my friends on Thursday afternoon.
Do you currently want something?
I'm sure I want a lot of things. Currently I want a cup of hot peppermint tea.
What was the last thing you had to drink?
Iced tea with dinner.
Who was the last person you said "I love you" to?
It think it was my sister Darby.
Where are you?
I am in my house, sitting in the living room.
Do you like to walk in the rain?
Only if it's not too cold or raining really hard.
Do you like looking up at the stars?
Yes.
Do you like swimming?
Sometimes.
Have you ever swam in the ocean?
Yes, in Florida! It was fun, but the salty water made me sick when I accidentally swallowed some. Yuck.
Do you go to school?
I do now that I'm in college, but I was home schooled all the way through high school.
Do you want to go to college?
Yes, I'm in college.
What do you want to be?
I want to be a stay at home mom and hopefully also a published author.
Do you want kids?
Yes, I love kids.
Do you like going to the beach?
Well, I've only been once, but I loved it.
Who is the last person you went to the mall with?
Last week a bunch of people from our church met at the mall to have a photo scavenger hunt. It was really fun.
Have you ever had any x-rays?
Yes, I had my foot x-rayed a few years ago when I twisted it and we thought it might be broken. It was only a bad sprain, but I hobbled around on crutches for almost a month.
Who do you hate right now?
I don't think I hate anyone. I do dislike a few people, but I wouldn't say that I hate them.
Who was the last to cook you food?
Mom made dinner for everyone a few hours ago. Chicken and rice, and it was delicious.
What did you do 2 nights ago?
I went to my sister's house and watched television.
Who was the last person you were on the phone with?
My dad.
Does a hug make you feel better?
It depends on why I am feeling sad and who is doing the hugging. Sometimes when I am feeling down I just want to be by myself for awhile.
How long ago did you hug someone?
About an hour ago.
Anything good happening tomorrow?
A new day, sunshine, coffee, blogging and family.
Do you have unlimited texting?
Yes.
Will you keep your last name when you get married?
No, that would be silly. How would you decide what last name the children would have?
You have to get a piercing, what do you get?
I already have my ears pierced. I wouldn't want another piercing.
Who was the last friend you got into a big argument with?
I am not sure.
Will you be in a relationship in the next couple months?
It's not likely, but who knows?
Did you have any unread text messages when you woke up today?
No.
Do you want to see somebody right now?
Not particularly right now.
When was the last time you had a late night phone call?
A few years ago. My friend called and we talked for a few hours. That is unusual for me, because I don't like talking on the phone.
If you could move somewhere else, would you?
I would move to a different house, but I don't think I would like moving to a new town.
Would you be able to date someone who doesn't make you laugh?
No, I don't think so. I love people who make me laugh.
Has anyone ever sang to you?
Happy birthday.
When was the last time you bit someone?
I have no idea.
Do you think you can love someone without trusting them?
I think you can choose to love someone without trusting them, but I don't think you can fall in love with someone without trusting them.
Is there someone who you can spend every minute with and be happy?
Not every minute. I like to be alone sometimes.
Last person to make you smile?
My brother.
If you're being extremely quiet, what does it mean?
Everyone always asks me what's wrong when I'm quiet, but for me being quiet is just a normal thing. If I don't have anything to say I just listen.
Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
No.
Do you have trust issues?
No, I don't think so.
Was this a good weekend?
Yes it was! We had a big storm on Sunday, and you know how much I love storms.
Were you happy when you woke up today?
I wasn't happy or sad. I don't fully wake up in the morning until I pull my hair back and have a cup of coffee.
I tag anyone who wants to do this.
~Jane~
Handwriting tag
Rules:
Write down the following, snap a picture (or scan the document), post it, and tag others.
Name/Blog Name
Right handed, left handed or both
Favorite letters to write
Least favorite letters to write
Write: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
Write in caps: CRAB HUMOR KALEIDOSCOPE PAJAMAS GAZILLION
Favorite song lyrics
Tag 7 people
Any special note or drawing
I hope you can read this. : )
~Jane~
Giveaway
Bramblewood Fashion is having a giveaway of the most beautiful journal, you have to go and see it! This is a part of the Anne of Green Gables fashion event, which I am not currently participating in, but I have been watching with interest. I have just been so busy, I don't have time to figure out Anne-ish outfits, but if I think of anything, I will certainly post it.
~Jane~
~Jane~
Sunday, July 11, 2010
I could sit and read all day
I got this blog award from Gianna at He Designs My Life.
What is your favorite book?
I never know how to answer this question. I have so many favorite books that I really can't choose just one. I can try to narrow it down to a few for you...
Emma by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Freckles by Gene Stratton Porter.
When was the last time you read a book?
I think it's been a few days. I'm in the middle of a book right now, but I've been so busy I haven't been reading it.
Have you read any of Jane Austen's novels?
Yes, only every single one! In fact, I've read all of them at least twice. Lady Susan I've only read once, but that's more of a novella anyway.
What was the last book you read?
The last book I finished was Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. It was pretty good, though not as good as I expected. I liked the movie a lot too, and now that I've read the book I can see that the movie was pretty accurate.
If you were to write a book, what would the plot be?
I was thinking just today about a new idea for a character! My brother and I were talking about all the things that happen on movies and how we feel like we should be prepared for them to happen even though it is unlikely. For instance, having a plan on how to get away if you ever get in a car chase. It is not likely that you will ever get into a car chase, but it happens in every other movie so it can't hurt to be ready just in case. So I was thinking I should write a story where the main characters figure out which are the most common things that happen on movies and trying to come up with plans to get out of that type of situation, just in case.
How many times have you read your favorite book?
Once again, I really don't have a single favorite book, I have a lengthy list of them. I have read all of the books on my list multiple times. My top favorites I may have read five or six times.
Which do you prefer: reading a book, or watching TV?
Generally I prefer reading a book. If I had to choose one or the other to have on a desert island I would choose books. Lately though I have been watching more TV than reading. Mainly because it's summertime and I feel lazy. I found a few new shows I really like so I've been wanting to watch them instead of reading.
What book are you currently reading?
Currently I am reading Larklight by Phillip Reeve. It is interesting. I don't like it quite as much as I thought I would by the description.
What was the first book you ever read? (besides little learning-to-read books.)
I don't remember! The earliest reading memory I have is of Mom reading me the Laura Ingalls Wilder books when I was really little.
I award this to anyone who loves books.
~Jane~
I don't remember! The earliest reading memory I have is of Mom reading me the Laura Ingalls Wilder books when I was really little.
I award this to anyone who loves books.
~Jane~
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Blogs to follow
I just want to alert all of my followers to a new blog you may want to check out...
He Designs My Life.
As well as having a cute and clever name, this blog has some really adorable doll clothes and a great layout. The author is trying to get to a certain number of followers before the end of the month, so head on over and see if you can help her out.
Also, Grace of Grace's Garden Walk is trying to get to 100 followers! She has a really nice blog, and it is one of my favorites to visit. She is always so positive and her posts are always a great encouragement to me. If you have never visited her blog I would really encourage you to do so, I think you will love it as much as I do. (Plus, she says she won't post her 100th post until she gets 100 followers, and I don't want to wait very long without her posts!)
~Jane~
He Designs My Life.
As well as having a cute and clever name, this blog has some really adorable doll clothes and a great layout. The author is trying to get to a certain number of followers before the end of the month, so head on over and see if you can help her out.
Also, Grace of Grace's Garden Walk is trying to get to 100 followers! She has a really nice blog, and it is one of my favorites to visit. She is always so positive and her posts are always a great encouragement to me. If you have never visited her blog I would really encourage you to do so, I think you will love it as much as I do. (Plus, she says she won't post her 100th post until she gets 100 followers, and I don't want to wait very long without her posts!)
~Jane~
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Pride and Prejudice 2005
Today I am going to discuss some of the things that I found to be terribly wrong with the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightly. I will be nice, I promise. I understand the attraction of the movie, and I am sort of (kind of) close to liking it, if only it were completely different. : )
Note: This blog post is just my honest opinion. If you disagree, I respect that completely and I want to hear what you like about this movie! I would love to hear everyone's opinions on it, please comment. : )
History
Historically speaking, I don't believe it would have been proper for Mr. Bingley to go into Jane's room when she was in bed sick. If she were dressed and sitting up in a chair, maybe, especially with Elizabeth in the room, but I will not believe that it would have been remotely acceptable for him to go in there while she was in bed and in her nightclothes. That is barely proper in modern times. At least, I know I wouldn't allow it.
Also, Elizabeth never would have worn her hair down to visit her sister at Netherfield Park. Yes, she did decide that she wasn't going to be silly and order the carriage when she could walk. That doesn't mean she didn't care about the social proprieties of her time. Elizabeth in the book was always aware of social rules and she always kept within them.
Deciding to wear her hair completely down would have been "conceited independence" as Caroline Bingley put it, and I never ever want to agree with Caroline Bingley.
I am not for certain about this one, because I have heard arguments on both sides of the equation, but I just don't think that the Bennets would have had their barnyard right there with the house. It would be dirty, and it would smell. As local gentry, I am fairly sure that the workings of the farm would have been at least some distance away from the house.
In Emma, also by Jane Austen, the Martins modest little farm is described as having a broad, neat gravel-walk leading between apple trees to the front door, with a white gate at the end. Plus, "two parlours, two very good parlours indeed; ...and of their having a very handsome summer-house in their garden, where some day next year they were all to drink tea: -- a very handsome summer-house, large enough to hold a dozen people."
This is a picture of a working farm run by a farmer, not a 'gentleman' as Mr. Bennet is. I just can't imagine the Bennets allowing pigs to wallow right next to the house and having a muddy courtyard with cows in it when the Martins, who are not very wealthy, have their farm so neatly laid out.
Please correct me on any one of these if you have historical evidence. I am not a history expert, I am just going by what I believe to be true and I could always be wrong.
Acting
I could almost forgive the historical inaccuracies if I had actually enjoyed the acting in this movie.
Keira Knightly seemed to believe that in order to be historically accurate, she had only to speak as fast as humanly possible. Half of the time I couldn't understand what she was saying. She also tended to act like she was laughing at everything, whether it was laughable or not. I guess this was Keira Knightly's way of acting like she is witty and all-knowing.
Not only did Keira Knightly talk faster than should be possible, everybody said their lines before the other person was finished speaking. The conversation in the parlor at Netherfield is preposterous, because it is not possible that Mr. Darcy could have heard Elizabeth's weighty question about whether or not he had any faults, comprehended the question, considered the question and answered with clarity about one of his faults in that micro-second of time unless he already knew what she was going to say and had his answer rehearsed. Some people speak more quickly than others, but the capacity of the human brain has limitations. I would venture to say that people in those times may have spoken with a better vocabulary, but that doesn't mean that their brains were not in use in the conversation process.
That is why most of the conversations on this movie are not only hard to listen to and keep track of, they are also ridiculous and unrealistic.
Matthew Mcfayden is a very good looking young man, and he plays the brooding silent type very well, almost too well. My problem with him is that good looks are not enough. I found that he talks not only very quickly, as seems to be the pattern, but also in a monotone voice that is not very romantic. Possibly the worst line in the movie is when he declares his love with a fake stutter. His voice has no emotion in it as he says,
"I love- I love- I love you."
It just sounds so rehearsed. If you stutter during a proposal it is because you are so overcome with emotion that you can't get the words out. He doesn't seem overcome to me.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth in this movie is not Elizabeth. She is Lydia in disguise. The changes to Elizabeth's character is what I hate the most about this movie. It seems disrespectful to the character Jane Austen wrote to even think of them as being the same person. I almost laughed in bitter disbelief when Mr. Darcy says his line about Elizabeth being excluded from the blame of bad behavior in the family.
In this version she openly and sarcastically mocks Mr. Collins at the dinner table. Everybody else in the room knows that she is teasing him, but he is unaware, which makes it even worse. Even by secular modern standards this is just plain mean and rude and impolite. That is the type of joke the villain usually makes at the hero's expense.
"You can't make me!" This Elizabeth yells at her mother about marrying Mr. Collins.
"For once in your life, leave me alone!" She screams at her family after they ask an innocent question about why they were dragged out of their beds in the middle of the night.
"Oh, give it to me!" She declares impatiently as she snatches her father's letter out of his hands as he tries to read it. (This action specifically is reminiscent of Mrs. Bennet snatching Jane's letter in the 1995 version.)
In the book, Elizabeth is secretly ashamed of the way her family behaves but always respectful and openly supportive of them. She tries to stop them from acting foolishly, but never steps out of her role as a dependent daughter. She is unselfish, and that is what makes her different from Lydia.
In this movie, I have trouble picking out what makes her different from Lydia. She traipses through the ballroom laughing loudly and stops abruptly and awkwardly when she nearly runs headlong into Mr. Darcy. She doesn't apologize for nearly running into him. She just looks at him disgustedly for a minute and stiffly replies to his question. The Elizabeth Bennet I know is not awkward. The reason Mr. Darcy likes her in the first place is because of her easy grace and wit and social skills.
Mr. Bingley
This movie makes poor Mr. Bingley look like a bumbling fool. This is not true in the book. Mr. Darcy would never be friends with a bumbling fool. Mr. Bingley is a friendly, easy going young man who likes everyone he meets. He doesn't judge people. He likes to make new friends and have a good time with them. Unlike Mr. Darcy, he has good social skills and is polite and good natured and humble in whatever situation he is in. He cares about his sisters. (He has two sisters in the book.) Really his only fault is that he is so good natured that he will believe what he is told by his closest friend. That, in my opinion, is not a fault at all. Why do the movies make him look foolish just because he is not the main character? Can't there be two male leads that we can admire?
Other little things that bother me but aren't too important
Everyone I have talked to loves the cinematography on this movie. Some of the shots were really cool, mainly the one where Elizabeth is standing on the cliff with that gorgeous view in the background, but I disliked a lot of the camera work. In my opinion, it just tries too hard, and draws too much attention to itself. If you are watching a movie and the camera movements pull you out of believing that you are really there with the characters, than something is wrong with it. The camera is the viewpoint you are watching the story from, so it is a lot like the neutral narrator voice in a book. It is telling the story, but you are usually not supposed to notice the voice itself, just the story it is telling. There are exceptions to this rule, and that is a stylistic choice in writing a book, but I still prefer not to notice camera work when I am watching a movie.
The actor who plays Mr. Wickham looks exactly like Orlando Bloom to me. I know, this one is really not a reason to dislike a movie, it's just one of the silly things that bug me about it. : )
One of the few things I do like is that Mr. Wickham is actually handsome and charming in this version, as he is in the book.
Another thing I don't like is that I just can't believe that they are in love. It seems to come about inexplicably. They barely talk throughout the whole movie. She hates him, he proposes, she yells at him, they are apart for awhile, she sees him hug his sister once and all of a sudden she is in love with him. I am not sure why he falls in love with her. She is rude to him and then ignores him the rest of the time. There were other small interactions in the 1995 version that made the falling in love more believable. This movie seems to take place over such a short period of time too, when the book takes place over more than a year.
They also changed small, random things that had no bearing on the story. I know every adaption is going to be different from the book, but when they change things that don't need to be changed, it shows me that the filmmakers did not have enough respect for the original author to trust the decisions she made about her characters. For example, in the book Mr. Bennet doesn't go to the first ball. In the movie he does. It's not a huge change, but it makes his character different than Jane Austen intended.
Another example is the fact that they gave one of Elizabeth's lines to her sister, Mary.
"What are men to rocks and mountains?" This is something that Elizabeth says in the book, and I don't quite understand the purpose of giving it to another character.
When I watch this movie, I have the feeling that the makers of the movie did not have any respect for Jane Austen, her characters, or the way she told her story. That is really what it boils down to. I am not a purist in the sense that I dislike anything that is different from the book. I only wish that anybody who undertakes adapting a novel would read it carefully, try to understand the author's intentions, and adapt the book in a way that the original author would appreciate. It only seems right.
Thank you for reading my thoughts on this movie, I know this was a long post. Now I want to know what you think!
What are your thoughts on the movie? What do you agree or disagree with me about?
~Jane~
Note: This blog post is just my honest opinion. If you disagree, I respect that completely and I want to hear what you like about this movie! I would love to hear everyone's opinions on it, please comment. : )
History
Historically speaking, I don't believe it would have been proper for Mr. Bingley to go into Jane's room when she was in bed sick. If she were dressed and sitting up in a chair, maybe, especially with Elizabeth in the room, but I will not believe that it would have been remotely acceptable for him to go in there while she was in bed and in her nightclothes. That is barely proper in modern times. At least, I know I wouldn't allow it.
Also, Elizabeth never would have worn her hair down to visit her sister at Netherfield Park. Yes, she did decide that she wasn't going to be silly and order the carriage when she could walk. That doesn't mean she didn't care about the social proprieties of her time. Elizabeth in the book was always aware of social rules and she always kept within them.
Deciding to wear her hair completely down would have been "conceited independence" as Caroline Bingley put it, and I never ever want to agree with Caroline Bingley.
I am not for certain about this one, because I have heard arguments on both sides of the equation, but I just don't think that the Bennets would have had their barnyard right there with the house. It would be dirty, and it would smell. As local gentry, I am fairly sure that the workings of the farm would have been at least some distance away from the house.
In Emma, also by Jane Austen, the Martins modest little farm is described as having a broad, neat gravel-walk leading between apple trees to the front door, with a white gate at the end. Plus, "two parlours, two very good parlours indeed; ...and of their having a very handsome summer-house in their garden, where some day next year they were all to drink tea: -- a very handsome summer-house, large enough to hold a dozen people."
This is a picture of a working farm run by a farmer, not a 'gentleman' as Mr. Bennet is. I just can't imagine the Bennets allowing pigs to wallow right next to the house and having a muddy courtyard with cows in it when the Martins, who are not very wealthy, have their farm so neatly laid out.
Please correct me on any one of these if you have historical evidence. I am not a history expert, I am just going by what I believe to be true and I could always be wrong.
Acting
I could almost forgive the historical inaccuracies if I had actually enjoyed the acting in this movie.
Keira Knightly seemed to believe that in order to be historically accurate, she had only to speak as fast as humanly possible. Half of the time I couldn't understand what she was saying. She also tended to act like she was laughing at everything, whether it was laughable or not. I guess this was Keira Knightly's way of acting like she is witty and all-knowing.
Not only did Keira Knightly talk faster than should be possible, everybody said their lines before the other person was finished speaking. The conversation in the parlor at Netherfield is preposterous, because it is not possible that Mr. Darcy could have heard Elizabeth's weighty question about whether or not he had any faults, comprehended the question, considered the question and answered with clarity about one of his faults in that micro-second of time unless he already knew what she was going to say and had his answer rehearsed. Some people speak more quickly than others, but the capacity of the human brain has limitations. I would venture to say that people in those times may have spoken with a better vocabulary, but that doesn't mean that their brains were not in use in the conversation process.
That is why most of the conversations on this movie are not only hard to listen to and keep track of, they are also ridiculous and unrealistic.
Matthew Mcfayden is a very good looking young man, and he plays the brooding silent type very well, almost too well. My problem with him is that good looks are not enough. I found that he talks not only very quickly, as seems to be the pattern, but also in a monotone voice that is not very romantic. Possibly the worst line in the movie is when he declares his love with a fake stutter. His voice has no emotion in it as he says,
"I love- I love- I love you."
It just sounds so rehearsed. If you stutter during a proposal it is because you are so overcome with emotion that you can't get the words out. He doesn't seem overcome to me.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth in this movie is not Elizabeth. She is Lydia in disguise. The changes to Elizabeth's character is what I hate the most about this movie. It seems disrespectful to the character Jane Austen wrote to even think of them as being the same person. I almost laughed in bitter disbelief when Mr. Darcy says his line about Elizabeth being excluded from the blame of bad behavior in the family.
In this version she openly and sarcastically mocks Mr. Collins at the dinner table. Everybody else in the room knows that she is teasing him, but he is unaware, which makes it even worse. Even by secular modern standards this is just plain mean and rude and impolite. That is the type of joke the villain usually makes at the hero's expense.
"You can't make me!" This Elizabeth yells at her mother about marrying Mr. Collins.
"For once in your life, leave me alone!" She screams at her family after they ask an innocent question about why they were dragged out of their beds in the middle of the night.
"Oh, give it to me!" She declares impatiently as she snatches her father's letter out of his hands as he tries to read it. (This action specifically is reminiscent of Mrs. Bennet snatching Jane's letter in the 1995 version.)
In the book, Elizabeth is secretly ashamed of the way her family behaves but always respectful and openly supportive of them. She tries to stop them from acting foolishly, but never steps out of her role as a dependent daughter. She is unselfish, and that is what makes her different from Lydia.
In this movie, I have trouble picking out what makes her different from Lydia. She traipses through the ballroom laughing loudly and stops abruptly and awkwardly when she nearly runs headlong into Mr. Darcy. She doesn't apologize for nearly running into him. She just looks at him disgustedly for a minute and stiffly replies to his question. The Elizabeth Bennet I know is not awkward. The reason Mr. Darcy likes her in the first place is because of her easy grace and wit and social skills.
Mr. Bingley
This movie makes poor Mr. Bingley look like a bumbling fool. This is not true in the book. Mr. Darcy would never be friends with a bumbling fool. Mr. Bingley is a friendly, easy going young man who likes everyone he meets. He doesn't judge people. He likes to make new friends and have a good time with them. Unlike Mr. Darcy, he has good social skills and is polite and good natured and humble in whatever situation he is in. He cares about his sisters. (He has two sisters in the book.) Really his only fault is that he is so good natured that he will believe what he is told by his closest friend. That, in my opinion, is not a fault at all. Why do the movies make him look foolish just because he is not the main character? Can't there be two male leads that we can admire?
Other little things that bother me but aren't too important
Everyone I have talked to loves the cinematography on this movie. Some of the shots were really cool, mainly the one where Elizabeth is standing on the cliff with that gorgeous view in the background, but I disliked a lot of the camera work. In my opinion, it just tries too hard, and draws too much attention to itself. If you are watching a movie and the camera movements pull you out of believing that you are really there with the characters, than something is wrong with it. The camera is the viewpoint you are watching the story from, so it is a lot like the neutral narrator voice in a book. It is telling the story, but you are usually not supposed to notice the voice itself, just the story it is telling. There are exceptions to this rule, and that is a stylistic choice in writing a book, but I still prefer not to notice camera work when I am watching a movie.
The actor who plays Mr. Wickham looks exactly like Orlando Bloom to me. I know, this one is really not a reason to dislike a movie, it's just one of the silly things that bug me about it. : )
One of the few things I do like is that Mr. Wickham is actually handsome and charming in this version, as he is in the book.
Another thing I don't like is that I just can't believe that they are in love. It seems to come about inexplicably. They barely talk throughout the whole movie. She hates him, he proposes, she yells at him, they are apart for awhile, she sees him hug his sister once and all of a sudden she is in love with him. I am not sure why he falls in love with her. She is rude to him and then ignores him the rest of the time. There were other small interactions in the 1995 version that made the falling in love more believable. This movie seems to take place over such a short period of time too, when the book takes place over more than a year.
They also changed small, random things that had no bearing on the story. I know every adaption is going to be different from the book, but when they change things that don't need to be changed, it shows me that the filmmakers did not have enough respect for the original author to trust the decisions she made about her characters. For example, in the book Mr. Bennet doesn't go to the first ball. In the movie he does. It's not a huge change, but it makes his character different than Jane Austen intended.
Another example is the fact that they gave one of Elizabeth's lines to her sister, Mary.
"What are men to rocks and mountains?" This is something that Elizabeth says in the book, and I don't quite understand the purpose of giving it to another character.
When I watch this movie, I have the feeling that the makers of the movie did not have any respect for Jane Austen, her characters, or the way she told her story. That is really what it boils down to. I am not a purist in the sense that I dislike anything that is different from the book. I only wish that anybody who undertakes adapting a novel would read it carefully, try to understand the author's intentions, and adapt the book in a way that the original author would appreciate. It only seems right.
Thank you for reading my thoughts on this movie, I know this was a long post. Now I want to know what you think!
What are your thoughts on the movie? What do you agree or disagree with me about?
~Jane~
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Happy (late) Independence Day
It's been a few days since I've posted. I'm sorry!
I hope everybody in the U.S. had a lovely Independence Day celebration. I had a few really great friends over and we ate hamburgers off the grill and shot off some small fireworks in the front yard. Then we piled in the car to drive to a nearby fireworks display. It started drizzling when we left and by the time we got there it was pouring rain, so the display was cancelled. We drove home and played games for awhile, so it was still a really fun night.
I am in the middle of writing a rather long review of Pride and Prejudice 2005. It will be up either later tonight or tomorrow. : )
~Jane~
I hope everybody in the U.S. had a lovely Independence Day celebration. I had a few really great friends over and we ate hamburgers off the grill and shot off some small fireworks in the front yard. Then we piled in the car to drive to a nearby fireworks display. It started drizzling when we left and by the time we got there it was pouring rain, so the display was cancelled. We drove home and played games for awhile, so it was still a really fun night.
I am in the middle of writing a rather long review of Pride and Prejudice 2005. It will be up either later tonight or tomorrow. : )
~Jane~
Friday, July 2, 2010
Happenings
Just a really quick post to let you all in on the happenings in my uneventful life.
I finally stopped "planning on writing" and I have actually started writing a book. I only have about half a page so far (the prologue), but it's a start. I was thinking about doing a book in a month thing for July, since I may not be able to do Nanowrimo this year, but I decided that I don't want the pressure. I want to relax and enjoy my summer and get some writing done, but not too much. I also want to work on editing my last Nanowrimo novel, so I will need time to do that.
How do you all feel about the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightly?
I know that a lot of people probably liked it, so I will try not to step on any toes, but I must be honest and confess that I hated that version. I really, really hated it. I know I am probably slightly biased by my love for the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle version, but I do have a lot of valid reasons for this dislike as well.
Tomorrow I will be re-watching the movie and attempting to clearly and logically outline my reasons for disliking it. So, get ready for that post. It will be very lengthy, but I will try to organize it so that it is easy to read instead of just rambling on and on. I am going to enjoy writing this one. : )
~Jane~
I finally stopped "planning on writing" and I have actually started writing a book. I only have about half a page so far (the prologue), but it's a start. I was thinking about doing a book in a month thing for July, since I may not be able to do Nanowrimo this year, but I decided that I don't want the pressure. I want to relax and enjoy my summer and get some writing done, but not too much. I also want to work on editing my last Nanowrimo novel, so I will need time to do that.
How do you all feel about the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightly?
I know that a lot of people probably liked it, so I will try not to step on any toes, but I must be honest and confess that I hated that version. I really, really hated it. I know I am probably slightly biased by my love for the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle version, but I do have a lot of valid reasons for this dislike as well.
Tomorrow I will be re-watching the movie and attempting to clearly and logically outline my reasons for disliking it. So, get ready for that post. It will be very lengthy, but I will try to organize it so that it is easy to read instead of just rambling on and on. I am going to enjoy writing this one. : )
~Jane~
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