Tag: Jane Austen

“It is a truth universally acknowledged…

that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”

200 years ago on January 28, Pride & Prejudice was published in England.  200 years ago!

I just finished reading Jane Austen’s final novel, “Persuasion.”  Austen doesn’t disappoint, but I”m afraid it can’t compare to “Pride & Prejudice.”

Detail of a C. E. Brock illustration for the 1...
Detail of a C. E. Brock illustration for the 1895 edition of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice (Chapter 3) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Favorite quotes:

“A lady’s imagination is quite rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.” Darcy

“I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love,” said Darcy.

“Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away.” Elizabeth Bennet

I could go on and on… I can’t wait until my next re-read.

In honor of the occasion, I started watching the BBC version of “Pride & Prejudice.”  Almost 5 hours of delight with the great Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.  So proud and outwardly disagreeable.  I won’t get it done in one sitting, but it will be what I’ll be watching for a few days!

So that’s what I’m watching…

In other news,

  • I’m reading “Tell the Wolves I’m Home” before I read “The Great Gatsby” and “Gone with the Wind.”  
  • I saw “Silver Linings Playbook” for the second time and will have to refrain from seeing it again and again!  It definitely will be purchased!
  • Saw “The Impossible” with Marissa in the late show.  Wow.  Painful and heart-wrenching to watch, even knowing the outcome.  Those kids were incredible!  The adults were amazing, too.  Good stuff.
  • Had a great few nights with Deadra and family – watched “Magic Mike,” “Once,” “Young Adult” and episodes of the Take Home Chef.  Good talks and good food and good wine!  Good times!

What about you? What are you reading?  Do you have a favorite Pride & Prejudice quote?  Favorite film adaptation?  “Bride & Prejudice” done Bollywood style was pretty fun, too!

Good articles:  The Independent or First Post or NPR 

 

 

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What’s Making Me Happy This Week 1/9/13

Joy! NYC New York City
Joy Joy Joy!

I hope that I will remember to post about the Things Making Me Happy at least every other week… it’s been a few weeks (busy weeks) since I last wrote about this, but it’s such a good thing to focus on that I hope I will make it a habit!

  • Days off!  I had a great Christmas and New Year‘s with family and although I worked last weekend, it has been bracketed by wonderful days off!  I’ve been productive and relaxed; reading, entertaining, singing, watching movies, with just a little cleaning and organizing.  Good stuff.  
  • My Blu-Ray player for Christmas is so exciting… so easy and smart to use.  Just a breeze.
  • Reading Jane Austen is always so relaxing. I’m reading “Persuasion” as a readalong and although it isn’t living up to “Pride and Prejudice” level of love from me, it is still enjoyable to read.  I’m wondering if Jane Austen is NOT meant to be read on an electronic device, though. That has been a struggle.  
  • I spilled a big old glass of water on my stove top a few weeks ago, which prompted a deep clean under the stove.  Felt kinda good!
  • Taco Soup – Wow!  Mom made this and it was so delicious, and then I whipped it up at Dana and Koni’s last night and it was so easy!  The best flavor  and a fast feast!  Ingredients: 1 can black beans, 1 can pinto beans (both drained and rinsed), 1 can petite diced tomatoes, 1 can sweet corn (both drained), 1 can white chicken breast, drained, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can green enchilada sauce, 1 can chicken broth, 1 packet taco seasoning. Mix, heat, serve.  Excellent with tortilla chips!  Yummy!
  • The game Telestrations brought us many laughs on New Year’s Eve – what a fun family group game!
  • A mild sunshiny day today is certainly making me happy!
  • Looking forward to the weekend off – with nothing planned feels pretty great!
  • I love having my Christmas tree up – to think I almost didn’t do it this year! – but it does feel good to put it away.  I really don’t have many seasonal decorations aside from Christmas – maybe I need to add that to one of my lists… Mix it up a little.
  • Reflecting on 2012 has been such a Joy (see above pic!).  I continue to feel grateful for the people in my life and the adventures that they bring. 

I feel like I could go on and on, which is a good thing, but I’d better move on and get some more stuff done!  Enjoying the day!

What’s making you happy this week??

LOGO Give Joy Get Joy

Joy Joy Joy!
Joy Joy Joy!

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First Monday in 2013!

2013
2013 Here We Come!

The New Year feel has settled in.  I think I’ve already gotten used to typing 2013 at work!  

So now it’s time to think about my 2nd quarter of 11 fun things to do and look forward to!
(I think it needs a new name! It’s so cumbersome! 44 Things Quarter 2?) 

My FALL list was not completed: I did NOT shop early for Christmas or play accordion weekly.  
But I don’t feel regrets or guilt about not accomplishing things…
it just means that other things popped up and pushed them out of the way!  

So my WINTER list of things to do or look forward to starts here: 

English: Persusasion (Jane Austen Novel). For ...
English: Persusasion (Jane Austen Novel). For Sir Elliot, baronnet, the hints of Mrs Sheppard, his agent, was very unwelcome. Français : Persuasion, dernier roman de Jane Austen. Sir Elliot n’apprécie pas les conseils d’économie de Mr Sheppard, son notaire (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

44 Things – Quarter 2 (Jan-Feb-Mar)

  1. A January mini-vacation at Deadra’s, including many movies and much wine!
  2. Read “Persuasion” by Jane Austen with Wallace’s readalong in January 
  3. START reading “Gone With the Wind” in February – it’s so large I’m not sure I can finish it in two months!  But it’s after “Persuasion”!
  4. “The Book of Mormon” with Deadra and John in February!
  5. Host a baby shower for a work colleague at my house on February 13!
  6. Gaelic Storm in March with Kristine!
  7. Social-ICE in February!
  8. Walk at least twice weekly and do yoga once weekly.
  9.  Spray Tan!  Get the look of a summer glow!
  10.  Pick a closet and clean it out OR
    watch all of the Oscar nominated movies (which would you rather do??)
  11.  Invigorate book club and plan ahead for the year

Well, that wasn’t what I thought it would be, but there you have it!  I am maybe forgetting some of the things that I know that I will be looking forward to!  Yikes… I started writing this down somewhere.  And I’m still kicking around a list of THINGS for 2013, sort of like last year’s list.  It may be an over-arching list, or maybe a theme word or statement for the year… still thinking about it on paper.  

How about you?  How do you feel about resolutions?  Would you rather pick a theme WORD or STATEMENT (ala Let ‘er Rip) than set goals?  Do you avoid these altogether?  

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I hope…

christmas 2007
christmas 2007 (Photo credit: paparutzi)

that the presents I ordered online (some as late as yesterday!) arrive in time for Christmas

christmas 2007
christmas 2007 (Photo credit: paparutzi)

that I get busy and am productive on one of my only days off until Christmas
(1. finish shopping 2. start wrapping 3. make cardamom cookies)


that someone comes and helps me drink all of the wine I’ve purchased lately

that the pink Christmas balls don’t fall off my little tree outside and shatter

pink outside Christmas tree

Enough on my inside tree so some went to the outside tree!

that the few cards and letters that I mailed out arrive in time
(and that the few more that I will send will arrive in one piece!)

Once ornament
A great remembrance of 2012

that I think of a clever way to re-cap 2012 and set goals for 2013

that the Christmas fun continues throughout the next week

Christmas party open house

Sweaters are fun!

that there is time for reflection these few days before the first day of winter
(I have that list, remember… )

that someday soon I can get through a day without shedding sad tears
(so much sadness in the world)

that in 2013 I can get lost in a Jane Austen re-read – so relaxing
“It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.”
— Jane Austen (Sense and Sensibility)

that everyone takes time to have a wonderful holiday season with those that they love and keeps their faith in the goodness of people.

“It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

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Again with the lists!

For the lists

I was at Barnes & Noble the other night with my niece and I was captivated by these little notebooks.  It was a pack of four made to look like “dance cards” from Jane Austen novels.  I’m a sucker for things Austen and also like to have something to write on at any time, so I bought them (and shared with my niece).  I have one by my bed and it has turned in to another place to keep lists.

 

I’ve never written a “Bucket List,” per se, but have created many lists in my day.  So far my book contains lists for potential blog posts (a list for movie blogs, book blogs, and blogs about random topics), as well as lists for places I want to visit – in the United States and the World.

 

I read many blogs and one that I recently found and enjoy immensely is Lesley Carter’s blog, Bucket List Publications.  She is FAR more adventurous than I am, but also quite a list-maker.  After moving to South Carolina, she started and posted a list of the things she wants to do there. It’s a fun read.  And she has thousands of followers!  She hopes to share the wealth, so if you follow my blog, you should check out her blog -and I hope that some of her followers do the same!  (I may need to step-it-up a bit, if that’s the case!)

 

So check out Bucket List Publications for a great blog about Travel, Adventure and New Experiences – Indulge!

 

http://lesleycarter.wordpress.com/

Bucket List word cloud #3
Bucket List word cloud #3 (Photo credit: mccmicb)
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40 Things (15)

Cover of "Extremely Loud and Incredibly C...
Cover of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Following along with Boof’s 40 Day Challenge leading up to her 40th birthday, day 15!  Her topic for today is:

15) A book that I have read the most number of times

Well, I don’t tend to re-read books too much (save the kiddo books I read when smaller), so the books I’ve read twice include: the Harry Potter series, Pride & Prejudice, and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.  That’s all I can remember.  I sort of have a “keep moving forward” philosophy and so use my limited time to try new books.  I had some poetry books when I was younger (“Now We Are Six” and “Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle”) that I read over and over again because they were so clever and fun.

#15 on my list of 40 things was to WRITE.  Blog, journal, stories, poetry, letters and postcards.  Again, not measurable but it has made me more purposeful and intentional and to put stamps on things and to keep a book for haikus.  Good stuff.

Off to read!

40 Things (14)

Elizabeth tells her father that Darcy was resp...
Image via Wikipedia

Following along with Boof’s 40 Day Challenge leading up to her 40th birthday, her next topic is:

14) A favourite 19th century novel

I am going to be very unoriginal and say “Pride & Prejudice.” I love everything about Austen’s novel and will re-read it every few years forever. Easy peasy.

#14 on my list was to Apply for a New Job.  See yesterday’s post for how that went. I was content to happy in my old job, so although I applied for part-time work occasionally (the library or B&N) I wasn’t ever serious about looking for a new job.

Off to read!

40 Things (12)

Portrait of Jane Austen, from the memoir by J....
Portrait of Jane Austen, Image via Wikipedia

Following along with Boof’s 40 Day Challenge leading up to her 40th birthday, her twelfth topic is:

12) A favourite historical novel

I’m assuming a historical novel is written in present day about the past, rather than a book written in the 1800s about the 1800s.  I don’t have many of those on my goodreads list!  I know that back in the day, when I had more time and read anything I could get my hands on, I read a few “bodice rippers.”  They were good fun, but not earth shattering.  I’ve read quite a few books set in the past (Austen, Laura Ingalls Wilder, etc.) but most of the contemporary fiction I read is set in the 1900s, so although some historical (Water for Elephants, Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society – both great books set in the 1900s) I took this topic to mean a little before that time.

#12 on my list of 40 things was to “Read a good book every month!” and I think I’ve succeeded at that!  I know that I’ve become a much more purposeful reader – creating a list and choosing books off that list to read.  When I was in college I once described myself as a “book slut – I’ll read anything and everything,” but that is no longer true.  While a lot of things I read may not be considered great books, I am more intent on reading more good books.

Off to read!

40 Things (3)

Elizabeth tells her father that Darcy was resp...
Image via Wikipedia

Playing along with Boof’s 40 Day Book Challenge for her 40th birthday, day 3 –

3) A book with a favourite character

I’m sure that there are others but last summer I read the book “Love Walked In” by Marisa de los Santos and I remember vividly that I wanted to be friends with Cornelia.  She was spunky and fun and kind and quirky and I wanted the best things for her.  There are a lot of other favorite characters, too.  Elizabeth Bennet (AND Mr. Darcy) in “Pride & Prejudice,” Lizbeth Salander in “The Girl…” books, Harry Potter, Oskar Schell in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” and I could go on and on.  But these are a few favorites.

Looking back on my list of 40 Things, my #3 was to “Learn some Italian.”  Not a very good goal – not specific or measurable – but again it’s more about the big picture than the minute steps.  I listened to a bunch of Italian podcasts and downloaded some vocabulary lists and that’s as far as it got.  I’d love to go to Italy someday and think that would be incentive to actually get the words to stick in my head.  I think my Italian Ferragosto holiday at the lake each August will also help inspire me to learn more Italian and get to Italy some day.

Off to read!

40 Things… (2)

[St. Stephen's Green Park, Dublin. County Dubl...
Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

Following Boof at Book Whisperer, I’m participating in her 40 day book challenge leading up to her birthday.  Her second question is:

2) A book I wish I could live in

Well, bouncing off yesterday’s post of my favorite book of 2011, I’m going to say anything by Maeve Binchy.  Those quaint little Irish villages are so seductive (as are some of the villagers!).  I would love to live in Ireland for a bit…

And reviewing my list from my 40 things… My #2 was

2) Read “Persuasion” by Jane Austen
and I did!  In August of 07 (reflecting my belief that Austen is best read in the summer!).  Again, no great shakes, but a purposeful wish to do important things.

Off to read!