Wednesday Hodgepodge (With Limericks!!!)

1. Do you play games of luck/chance for money? Have you ever played bingo for money? Visited a casino?  Placed a bet on a horse? Bought a lottery ticket?

Nope to all of the above. The closest I've even gotten to a slot machine was the Las Vegas airport during a layover.

2. Will you be preparing and/or dining on the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage meal this St. Patrick's Day? Mashed-baked-hash browned-french fried...your favorite way to have potatoes?

I'm not planning on it at this point in time, though I do like it! As for my favorite kind of potatoes? I like them all, but I eat the french fried kind most often.

3. What's the last thing you felt 'green with envy' over?

Hmmmm. I remember being envious of everyone last week who was healthy while I felt miserable!

4. What's at the end of your rainbow?

Heaven!

5.March 12th marks the anniversary of the death of Anne Frank (June 12, 1929-March, 1945). Anne's diary detailing her time spent hiding from the Nazi's during the war ranks as one of the best selling books of all time. Besides your blog, do you keep any sort of diary or journal? Was this a habit you developed as a child or is journaling something new for you?

I do keep a journal around, I don't write in it every day. I mainly write when I get the urge to. (Or if I get inspired to write some poetry, which doesn't happen often.) So that means, sometimes every day, sometimes only once a month. Just kind of depends. I didn't write a great deal when I was a child, I think I mostly started more when I was a teen.

6. What's an item in your home or closet that contains every color of the rainbow?

I bought this tea cup and saucer a few weeks ago. Not sure if it has all the colors of the rainbow, but it has a lot of them! :)

7. Write a limerick with you as the subject. You can do it!! Just remember this is a family friendly blog...don't make me get out my wooden spoon.

There once lived a gal who loved reading,
More time in her day she was needing.
But the books to be read,
Simply piled up instead,
Since the time change was not receding.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I've officially decided I'm crazy. The other day at work I noticed myself doing the silliest thing! I was taking all the paperclips off of a stack of papers and replacing them with new ones. Which doesn't seem crazy until you find out why.

Because I thought it was only fair that the other paperclips get their turn to be useful.

Yes, I was attributing feelings to inanimate objects. Who does that? Me apparently.

Does that seem sane to you? Or am I certifiable? ;P

There once was girl gone insane,
Paperclips had addled her brain.
Office supplies
Unstabilize.
Beware lest it's you they obtain!

(Yeah, not my best work.)

Toodle-loo kangaroos!

Jane Austen and Her (Many) Adaptations

Why yes, that is the handsome Rupert Penry-Jones staring at you. Sigh. Isn't he swoon-worthy? I fully admit to the fact that I watch the 2007 version of Persuasion mainly because of him. Sally Hawkins and the rest of the cast do a good job also, but Rupert is what convinces me to come back again and again and ag.....well, you get the idea. ;P

Anyway!

This is supposed to be a post about Austen adaptations. Not just Rupert (though he is fine to look at, right? You have to agree at least about this particular picture! Surely!).

I am an Austen fangirl. Yes, I freely admit to that. Besides, you've already figured that out, yes? I also admit to the fact that I'm not picky on what adaptation I watch. Gasp! The very idea!

Now believe me, I am fully aware of the varied opinions around (perhaps even belonging to you!). The differing reasons why this person likes this version better and this other person likes this other version much better. I just read a post recently on a fellow blogger's reasons why she is partial to P&P 2005. (She makes excellent statements and uses good and reasonable logic. Unlike me.) I've also read similar posts regarding the 1995 version. Every person has their own opinion and very valid (usually) reasons for liking a particular version better.

Here's a newsflash. There's nothing wrong with liking the version you like. Whatever your reason.

I know. I've shocked you, haven't I? You've totally never thought such a thing and can't even imagine why I'd suggest it, right? (I hope you're catching my sarcasm here.)

But you do see my point.

I'm just going to assume you do and move on.

So. Jane Austen. Everyone has their favorites. We're all on the same page now. Therefore, going back to my original thought.....I like them all!

Every adaptation has it's good points and it's not so good points. Every actor or actress has their good moments and their not so good moments. Every screen writer has their good scenes and their not so good scenes. You get my drift. Point is, there is something for every one. And for this Austen-ite, there's everything!

And it's all awesome!

I have moments where I'm in the mood for Rupert and want to stare at his lovely eyes a while. There are other moments where I'm in the mood for Amanda Root and her transformation. Other times I want to see Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul stiffly (but cutely) converse with each other. Still other times I'm ready to watch Jonny Lee Miller win over Romola Garai (and me!) with his beautiful emotion and all around awesome-ness. (I suppose I do have to admit a certain......"preference" shall I say....for the 2009 Emma over any other version of Emma. What can I say? I'm human! It's perfectly okay for me say one thing and then completely contradict myself a few paragraphs later in my own blog post. So what if you think I'm crazy? You already think it, right? So my confounding logic is nothing new then.) I even like Bride and Prejudice and Aisha.

Basically, I just like Jane Austen. I could try to expound on why, but this post is long enough and you're already reaching the point where you'd like me to shush. So the way I see it, whichever versions you prefer or don't prefer, so long as you're enjoying an Austen story then we're bound to be kindred spirits! (Or pretty close to it, at least.)

But you get my drift, right? I will watch an Austen adaptation anytime. Doesn't matter which one. I'm guaranteed to enjoy it. I have my favorite moments in each one. The moments that I rewind and watch again and again (don't we all). I have just about all the versions on DVD. I have re-watched them all multiple times.

If you say Jane Austen, I'm totally there with bells on!

Jane Austen was an amazing author. I am incredibly thankful that she wrote stories that I can still enjoy many, many years later. I am also thankful that I'm not alone in this feeling and that loads of other people still desire to watch her stories on screen. If any future adaptations happen, I'm positive I will absolutely enjoy myself!

So here's to Austen and her glorious-ness! *raises her cup of tea*

Do you have certain adaptations you like better than others? Do you have an adaptation you don't like? Or are you like me, and just like any and all versions so long as it's Jane Austen?

Or perhaps you don't like Austen at all? (Which probably means that you've abandoned this post long before now. But if not, then....?)

I'd love to know! (But please, be nice. I like happy people. They make me happy. So let's all be happy together, okay? :D)

(Lurkers are fine too. But I'd really love some comments if you so feel the desire. Comments = blissfulness)

Toodle-loo kangaroos!

Mini Reviews For Monday

I read three fluffy stories last weekend and I did enjoy them all. But none really warranted an entire full review. So mini ones it is! (But please. Don't think that because I didn't write full reviews that the books weren't that great. Because that's totally not true!)

Persuaded by Jenni James

Based on Jane Austen's Persuasion but the characters are teenagers. I really did enjoy this one! As Persuasion is my favorite Austen story, I had lots of fun trying to figure out who was who from the original. But Ms. James didn't just write a cookie cutter updated version, because it took me a while to figure out who was who! Not all the characters did what I was expecting. Which is a good idea really. There are so many Austen sequels and re-tellings that it was great planning on Ms. James' part to change things up. Gregory and Amanda had nice tension, which is definitely a good thing! :P All around just a fun little story.

Turning Pages by Tristi Pinkston

This one is based on Austen's Pride and Prejudice. (Noticing a trend? ;) But it's even less a cookie cutter version than Persuaded was. I did love the fact that Addie and Blake work in a library. And Addie loves to read! Way too late into the night too. A girl after my own heart! I also enjoyed the list of recommended reads that Addie loves. I haven't read many of the books on the list, but I'm thinking I need to change that. I wasn't a fan of the fact that Blake starts off already engaged, but the split was handled nicely which I appreciated. I also liked that they end on a happy note, but not "oh we're getting married now". Because they are still very young. In fact, a marriage does try to happen (aside from Blake's I mean) but it's for a terrible reason and is treated carefully as it should be. Cute and fluffy!

Unmasking Maya by Libby Mercer

A sweet and clean romance. Maya's had a rough time of it lately and Derek is not helping her cheer up! Until he does, of course. ;P Derek's a cute, nerdy guy who is not ashamed of that fact at all. I loved all the techy people he works with and their company picnic was hilarious. These are people who love what they do and have a great time while they're at it. But both Derek and Maya have secrets they don't want anyone finding out about. So that means, of course, that they both find out about them. Yet they also have an attraction and fascination with the other that they are finding harder and harder to ignore. After they get to know each other better, well. I can't spoil the whole thing for you! But suffice it to say it was a charming little story. And just what I needed after an intense read! :)


So there you have it folks! Some fluff to while away a few hours should you need to. And who doesn't have a few hours that needs a little fluff in it? :)

Toodle-loo kangaroos! Happy reading!

Little Letters Fourth Edition

Dear Dad, I hope your birthday was all things awesome! It was wonderful to chat. Thanks for being the best dad a gal could ask for. (No, that was not sarcastic! Why are you shaking your head at me?)

Dear Echinacea/Sudafed/All Cold Medicines, you were close and intimate friends this last week. And you were good to me. But I'm hoping our relationship is slowing down now. I'd prefer it actually. It's not you, it's me.

Dear Puffs People, whoever invented your tissues with lotion in them should be given an award! My poor "Rudolph"-like nose was very appreciative of your goodness. Your presence was so comforting and soothing. "A nose in need deserves Puffs indeed." And boy did mine deserve it!

Dear New Friend, it was so fun to unexpectedly run into you today! Your memory of details is amazing considering we've only met once before. Especially since I couldn't even remember your name. But I did remember your face! That counts, right? Luncheon was delicious, thanks for the invite. I should especially thank you for introducing me to.....

Dear Kolachy/Pastry Thingy, you are AMAZING! You remind me very much of the Apricot Pockets from my favorite bakery that closed down a few years ago (pause for a moment of sadness *sniff sniff*). Thank you for coming into my life! Although it's probably a really good thing we don't live that close to one another, as I'd almost certainly stop by every single day otherwise.

Dear Sense and Sensibility 2008, I'm looking forward to showing your delightfulness to new viewers soon. They long to be introduced to "Matthew" with brown hair. I still think it's amusing that I knew him first through you. Can't wait to watch you again!

Dear Time Change, I'm not a fan of your spring arrival at all. My "aging" bones now take a while to adjust after you happen. I'd really prefer the Fall version of you actually. How about working on that option?

Dear Clean and Fresh Sheets, your loveliness is wonderful. Your smell. Your crispness. You make my bed even more awesome than usual!

Dear New Week, I'm planning on you being awesome and fabulous and terrific. Don't let me down, okay?

 Toodle-loo kangaroos!