Valentiney Stuff

I'm happily single, but happily appreciative of Valentiney, Romancey Stuff. I, therefore, like many other lovely single ladies, celebrate this month of Romance in my own way... on my own. (No, I didn't suppress a sob while declaring my current state of I-have-no-bae-ness. I have tons of lovely friends and I just read To Kill a Mockingbird and I'm listening to Carrie Underwood so yeah, why would I complain? Really. Keep it together.) (Also, chocolate. There's more when you're single because you don't have to share.) (I realise it's not V-day yet, but I'm an early bug when it comes to cute couples.)

Here are some Valentiney Stuff that give me LOADS AND LOADS OF FEELSIES. Enjoy.

Because Downton Abbey couples always deserve a mention in posts about Romance. Tom + Sybil's epic romance always makes my heart melt and ugh lets not even talk about the disgusting adorableness of Matthew and Mary. (I can't NOT talk about these without italics. They are the epitome of cute.)

This random wedding video made me cry buckets and I don't even know these people. How. I love them and I love how they really, really, really want their marriage to be all about Jesus. Also, they're crazy cute together so that helps.

A buncha random cute pictures I found online. Because it's adorable.

OKAY SO THIS VIDEO. I know, the dude's hair is terrible (okay, fine, it's not my style) but this couple is honestly so so adorable and I now want to have a surprise wedding too. Their passion to have Jesus-centred lives is just heart-warming and I love it when they just cry and laugh and look at each other and then cry and laugh some more. (Yes, I get attached to random people in youtube videos. Welcome to my life.)




Excuse me while I die. TOM AND BARBARA TOM AND BARBARA TOM AND BARBARA. They're seriously so cute that I am at loss for words. (*cue Marilla Cuthbert rolling her eyes at this loss-for-words-fiddlesticks.*) I'm afraid Marilla would roll her eyes a lot at me; especially when I start talking about Emma and Knightley. Just look at these two:

JUST YES. AND YES. I LOVE THEM.



However, of course, the award for the cutest couple ever ever EVER goes to Minnie and Alfie in Lark Rise to Candleford. These two are so freakin adorable together it's literally TIRING to watch. (No, really.)

This is my favourite couple-in-love-song I have ever listened to. (At least, at the moment. These things change.) Carrie Underwood's voice is fire and lightning and roses and candles all rolled into one, and this song is so passionate and calm and soothing and beautiful AHHH I LOVE IT. (Let's listen to it together.)

... if this post doesn't make you appreciate romance, I don't know what will. Happy Valentine's day, folks. If you're single, don't mourn your singleness but yeah, do squeal over cute couples because it makes life a great deal rosier and it's really fun. (Do talk about your favourite cute couples in the comments because I can always do with more sappiness.)

Pentatonix is Ridiculously Amazing

I am obsessed with Pentatonix. I've been listening to their Christmas songs every single blessed day and I'm still so NOT sick of them. Of course I'm listening to them right now as I write. Probably also while you're reading this. I love them dearly. I quite rarely attach myself to bands and singers; in fact I will never say, 'I HAVE SOOO MANY' when someone asks me who my favourite singers are. I like a lot of singers, but I only have a few favourites. (Unlike books. Hahaha. I have so many favourite books it makes me kind of freaky sometimes.)

I love Pentatonix so much that... I AM DEVOTING A POST ON THEM. To proof my undying love and to seal it with official-ness, and all that.

(If you have never heard of Pentatonix PLEASE GO AND LISTEN TO THEIR CHRISTMAS SONGS. Leave right now and go to Youtube.They're basically a five-group acapella group which likes to blow me away with their talent and creativity and amazing-ness. The twists they put on songs is wow-factor-one-hundred-procent-wow.)

Moving on.

I think one of my favourite things about them is their pop/old-timey/classic/modern feel. It's modern music, but it's classic songs. But it's not modern music as in, every-single-song-sounds-exactly-the-same. Each song sounds so unique and different and beautiful.

As said earlier, all five members of the band are insanely talented. In case you were not aware of this, you know, I'm here to tell you the facts. You're welcome. 

First we have Avi's bass. OH MY WORD. It's like, Josh-Turner-level-ripe-bass-voice. (Just listen to the five first seconds of I'll be home for Christmas and you'll be swooning.) Then there's Kirstie's voice, which is amaze-worthy. I wish I had it. Also, she's so cute. Scott is the handsome blonde and his voice is soooo gorgeous. (His voice in 'Hallelujah' gave me shivers. As did the whole song, but that's beside the point.) And then there's Mitch's man-alto which sounds freakishly like a lady and which is seriously wow. Kevin is the beat-boxer and he's ridiculously talented; it's amazing. (I also love his smile.)

Their Christmas & Winter songs are what makes me love them. They are famous mainly because of it, basically, and no wonder. (I say Christmas and Winter because they're not all Christmas songs. Songs about Sleigh Bells and Santa Claus is Coming and even Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas aren't technically Christmas songs because there's nothing about Christ in them. (Peet Peeve of mine.) (#rantover.))

Here are my top five (CURRENTLY) favourite Pentatonix songs. (Because I need to showw you and FORCE them down your throats.)

Winter Wonderland / Don't worry Be Happy

THIS SONG IS SO SO MUCH FUN. Last year, I must have listened to it 10 thousand times and I still love it. Tori Kelly as a guest star is excellent and the creativity of putting two well-known songs together is just insaaaane. (I dare you not to smile while listening to this.) (I suppose it's humanly possible, but admit it... you wanted to smile. ;-P)

Mary Did You Know

Ahhhhhh THIS VERSION OF THIS SONG. *clutches heart and dies* I can't. Oh my word, it's so gorgeous and powerful and beautiful and it makes me want to cry. (When it goes, 'When you kiss His face, you kiss the face of God' I have so many chills. AND THE END.)

Go Tell it on the Mountain

This one fills me with HAPPINESS. It's so beat-worthy and it's so joyful and so clever. I love it when the bass goes 'go tell it on the mountain' on his little solo and I love the gospel-style beginning. One of my favourites.

Little Drummer Boy

This one is like a gust of fresh air. I mean. Ugh it's so stinkin beautiful I love it so much. Their 'ramramrapam's are so in sinc and the 'ohh's at the back give me that illness called The Goosebumps. Gorgeousness Alore.

Hallelujah

Last but not least, their rendition of Hallelujah absolutely gave me chills. Wow. They are amazing.

I also love their new song 'Coldest Winter', whiiich I've been listening to a lot these past days. This song gets pretty intense (like, creepy level) but woooow. It is GORGEOUS. I must mention it. :-P

There are some things I don't like about them - some of their songs aren't my favourite (I haven't listened to much non-Christmassy songs of theirs, and I didn't enjoy some as much as others) and I dislike some of the band's hairstyles. And fashion choices. (Cough Mitch Cough.) :-P Buuuuuut that's irrelevant. I WUVS THEM A GREAT DEAL.

You too?

My 4 favourite Christmas Albums + New Christmas blog look!

Thanksgiving is over, which means I can officially start posting Christmassy posts without getting a scolding from Emma. Although, I've got to say, I have a good influence on her cuz two weeks ago she admitted to me she was really looking forward to Christmas too. So yes. Really, honestly, no-one is complaining. It is starting to become the end of November (waaat? It was literally January yesterday, I'm serious I'm dead serious) and therefore DUH WHAT DO I DO?

I LISTEN TO CHRISTMAS SONGS.

ALSO. I AM SO PROUD OF MY CHRISTMAS BLOG LOOK. I will stop freaking out after I've reloaded the page about ten-thousand times and viewed it from all the different angles my neck can manage. It looks hashtag legit and I have snow. (If only I had snow in REAL life and that my real life was legit, but oh well. Online life is all that matters, haha. :-P) Tell me if you approve of this blog look or if you're sad that I'm becoming all fancy-shmancy and that my blog look no longer feels like 'the old one.' (The only thing *I* don't like is something about the comment section and the labels at the bottom. But otherwise I'm really happy with how this turned out. :-))

Back to Christmas Albums: Here are my top four-favourite Christmas Albums.

4. Michael Bublé

I have said it before and I say it again: Michael Bublé voice is velvet. Dark sateen burgandy velvet. Silky scarlett velvet. Whatever. IT IS VELVET. I love his voice to bits and this Christmas Album is top notch beautiful and feel-good. I approve most strongly indeed. (And now I'm going to use the new blogger emoticons to express my love.)
💗💗💗💗💗
(There.)


3. Libera

Slightly more traditional, this one, but there's nothing wrong with that! (Nothing.) This is officially the beautifullest boys choir in the entire world and their Christmas Album is SILVER. (I am so into metaphors, hadn't you noticed?) The voices are so pure and beautiful and just... zero glitches. How do these children do this.
👼👼👼👼👼
(Now I've started with the emoticons, I might as well find one to describe each album. ;-))

2. Celtic Woman

I used to be obsessed with this album. AND LET'S BE REAL: I STILL AM. Definitely my my most-listened-to Christmas Album (I'm only putting it on no.2 because my current favourite is the following one) and definitely GOLD AND TOP NOTCH. Their voices are divine and the versions are different, fresh and still really dignified and beautiful. And the violin. Ahh. I love this album to bits and pieces and I've listened to it so many times.
😍😍😍😍😍


1. Pentatonix

I discovered these amazingly talented people last year, and I was immediately hooked, from the first song I listened to. When I went back to them several weeks ago, I was re-gobble-smacked at the awesomeness of their Christmas Album. All the sounds are made by humans (so yes, the backing track at the back, is someone human) and it sounds amazing. I love the twist they put on the songs (a Gospel version of Hark the Herald, for instance! Yus.) and I just can't get enough of these.

👌👌👌👌👌

(This is actually the 'ok' emoji, but for me it's the 'wow that was soooo clever' sign.)

Okay, now you tell me! What is/are your favourite Christmas Album(s)? Are what emoji/sign would you use to describe it? (Answer this question in the comments. I can't hear you if you just whisper it to the screen.)

And tell me if I'm too early about the whole Christmas thing. I don't think so.

The Christmas proposal in Downton Abbey

It's time for the inkling exploriations! And for this month, it's obviously (OBVIOUSLY) Christmas-themed. (Click here for zee post of Heidi's)

"A Christmastide movie scene." 

There are PLENTY of those I love to bits, but the prize always has to go to Matthew Crawley's proposal to Mary Crawley. (Funny how they have the same last name.)  I mean, that SCENE. Can I even start on how priceless it is?!!! It's beyond gorgeous and romantic and snowy and Christmassy. Mary's red silky dress is beautiful, and Matthew's blue eyes are so HAPPY and twinkly... GAH. Best proposal ever in any movie or series history ever. I want a Christmassy proposal one day. (But I think I'll want to wear a coat.)

I LOVE THIS SCENE WAY TOO MUCH. (Everything about it. Matthew's adorable LOOK when Mary says she won't answer unless he kneels down and everything. I LOVE THESE TWO. (And their hug melts my heart. And of course everything looks like a shimmery, perfect Christmas card.)) Gah.

Please, tell me I'm not the only one who's seen that scene about 50 times.

A-very-important-PS: SEVEN MORE DAYS. Christmas, I love you.

"Pleased to meet you, Otto."

Most of you know my unending love for this Gorgeous, Beautiful, Everything Christmas Advert. I believe it's the BEST Ad ever made (no seriously. Ever.) And it is, in my 'umble opinion, the best video on Youtube. (Not even an overstatement.) Gahhh. I adore this video. I've seen it about Frigillion times, and still it makes me sniff and cry and smile and griiiiin. I just LOVE it. To biiiits.

I remember watching it for the first time. This was my reaction to it.

0:01 - Oh! It's set in 1914. Oh look, it's the trenches. OH WAIT. IS THIS ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE.

0:04 - What an unappetizing biscuit. They're not trying to sell that - don't tell me.

0:08 - Oh, the post. I love letters. That boy looks ridiculously young to be in the trenches.

0:13 - Awww, it's a package from his sweetheart. ("Rose, her name is.") Nice picture - I like the Edwardian style of the dress.

0:16 - AHH. ZEE CHOCOLATE. That is what they're trying to sell. Now I know.

0:17 - Look at his adorable grin. He's adorable.

0:21 - Oh, hark! He hears something. I KNOW WHAT IT IS. IT'S SILENT NIGHT. *listens quietly*

0:29 - Yes! It's the Germans singing Silent Night.

0:38 - Ahhhh. Shivers are already coming up my spine, for the English and the Germans are singing it together. It's just so saaaad and happy.

0:43 - Oh, that guy is handsome. I love the way his eyes twinkle.

0:58 - They're all singing with great gusto now and it's amazing.

1:06 - The snow is so pretty. (I wish I would snow right now, by the way. I'm tired of having no snow - I haven't had a good layer of snow for such a weary long time.)

1:10 - Hello, Mr Robin.

1:12 - I love his lopsided GRIIIIN. He looks so much like Robbie in 'Violins of Autumn.'

1:15 - WAIT. What is he thinking? Why is he rubbing his hands?????

1:17 - HE'S DOING IT. azguuzhreuhu.

1:20 - "A Brit is coming!" Wait they can't shoot him. No, they won't shoot him. No, it's Christmas.

1:26 - THE HANDSOME GERMAN SAVES HIM. He saves his life peoples. "Halt! Es ist nicht bewaffnet!" (Which means; Stop! He's not armed!)

1:34 - He's going over toooooo. Stop itttt guys this is way to sad.

1:42 - GAHH. They're walking towards each-other and I'm starting to cry and OHHH. The piano music starts and they're so scared and happy and pit^rutareu; 

1:47 - I love these boys.

1:49 - They're putting their hands down - they're all walking closer. STOP IT. I AM CRYING.

1:51 - REALLY CRYING RIGHT NOW OKAY.

1:56 - "My name is Jim." "Meine Name ist Otto."

1:57 - PLEASED TO MEET YOU OTTO. Shut up all of you darling boys this is way to emotional for me.

2:01 - They're taking pictures together. All the happy faces together. Germans and Englishmen arm in arm. *bawls*

2:03 - "Rose, she's called." "Sie ist shön." They're talking about girls together just like friends do.

2:08 - NOW THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY FOOTBALL TOGETHER. NO I AM NOT CRYING. I JUST HAVE A TERRIBLE COLD OKAY.

2:10 - His smile breaks my heart.

2:15 - I love that a German is shaving an Englishman (or vice-versa, I can't tell). 

2:19 - I'm still crying by the way. ALL THE HAPPY VOICES. AND THE MUSIC ON THE BACKGROUND. Guyyyyyyyyyyyyyys.

2:21 - They're cheering each other. THEY'RE CHEERING EACH OTHER.

2:27 - Jim and Otto fall on the ground together. Why can't they just be best friends and marry sisters and then have a double wedding???????

2:34 - I'm still crying. Just saying.

2:37 - WAIIT. Is something wrong?

2:40 - THERE IS.

2:45 - SOB. NO. IT'S TIME TO GO BACK. Look how their all shake each other's hands and thump each other's shoulders. Sobbbbbb.

2:48 - Jim gives Otto his (Otto's) coat (Spoiler: he put the chocolate in)

2:50 - GAH THEY ARE SAYING GOODBYE WHY MUST THIS HAPPEN. Noooooooooooo.

2:53 - "Happy Christmas." "Frohe Weinachten." *sobs for hours*

2:56 - Look how sad he is.

3:00 - OTTO GOT THE CHOCOLATE. geyét"é!ot'd"bort"zètdobtr.

3:02 - I NEED SOME.

3:03 - Sobbbbbbbbbbbb.

3:09 - He's so handsome though.

3:10 - And he's so cute and adorable shut up.

3:12 - AND NOW I AM STILL CRYING BECAUSE I SEE THE WORDS CHRISTMAS IS FOR SHARING. What a beautiful, simple, deep message. I don't even have the words for this video people I just don't. I am crushed for life and in love with both Otto and Jim I can't choose.

Gah. This video really knows how to tug at my heartstrings and rip my heart apart. Everyone should see it. EVERYONE. I love it to death.

The Christmas Truce

If there's something that makes me cry, it's the Christmas Truce that took place during the First World War. The more I think about it, the more it strikes me as one of the most beautiful and one of the saddest things that ever happened in history. Every Christmas, I find myself sitting in this trance, thinking about what it must have been like - what those lads must have felt. Last Christmas, it was mentioned several times, even in Queen Elizabeth's Christmas speech, because it marked 100 years since it happened, and since then I just can't get over it. It must have been amazing, emotional, terrible, beautiful; all at the same time.

Imagine you are a soldier in the cold, stony trenches. You've seen people die, you've suffered. You've shot men of the other side, doing your duty. You've probably seen some of your very own school-friends die; you've seen wounds, heard screams of pain and nightmares. I know life in the trenches must have been ghastly. My great-grandfather served in WW1, and my father says that he would never talk about it. People were traumatized for life.

I am currently writing a story, which has a thick chapter about a soldier telling his war story. I suppose this is a good excuse to show you some snippets. 

Douglas got killed. I saw him fall down. Part of an explosion bomb hit him on the chest. I saw his hat fly into a puddle, and I saw his khaki vest drenched with blood. I thank the Lord that I didn’t see more than that. I am traumatized enough.  

Michael and I clung on to each other. But he died, too. In the gas. The last thing I saw, Jane, was his face, yelling, getting more distant in the gas. I heard him yell. “Lionel! Lionel!”

And then you had that one Christmas, in the middle of it all, when several hundreds of men decided to have peace and get together in No Man's Land. They sang Silent Night Together, the British lads and the German lads. They played football together, gave each other gifts, swapped coats and hats, lighted each other's cigarettes. They took photographs of them together, casually giving each other hugs. They wished each other a Merry Christmas.

You see now why this makes me cry? The men weren't at war, the Countries were. The men so weren't. They were just doing their duty - they could totally be best friends with the Other Side.

"First the Germans would sing one of their carols and then we would sing one of ours, until when we started up O Come, All Ye Faithful, the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words Adeste Fideles. And I thought, well, this is a most extraordinary thing — two nations singing the same carol in the middle of a war."

"I walked across to my man and shook hands, I asked him how he liked it. ‘Terrible, I wish I was back in Germany’ (in Good English!). I wanted a souvenir so I took my knife out of my pocket and he let me cut a button from his coat. I could only give him a few old biscuits from my pocket."

"Eventually the English brought a soccer ball from their trenches, and pretty soon a lively game ensued. How marvellously wonderful, yet how strange it was. The English officers felt the same way about it.

Thus Christmas, the celebration of Love, managed to bring mortal enemies together for a time... I told them we didn’t want to shoot on the Second Day of Christmas either. They agreed."

"Really you would hardly have thought we were at war. Here we were, enemy talking to enemy. They [are] like ourselves with mothers, with sweethearts, with wives waiting to welcome us home again. And to think within a few hours we shall be firing at each other again."

"They say they won’t fire tomorrow if we don’t so I suppose we shall get a bit of a holiday — perhaps. After exchanging autographs and them wishing us a Happy New Year we departed and came back and had our dinner. We can hardly believe that we’ve been firing at them for the last week or two — it all seems so strange." 

"Even as I write, I can scarcely credit what I have seen and done. It has been a wonderful day."

(Actual WW1 letters about the Christmas Truce.)

War is so pointless - so ridiculously pointless. The Christmas Truce shows that more vividly than anything else can. These chaps were just... chaps. They fought against each other, killed each other - while they should have played football together every day. Imagine what they must have felt like, when they said goodbye after their time together in no-man's-land. They must have felt so emotional; they must have looked at each other and thought, "Tomorrow I might kill you."

It just breaks me, okay? Shush. Don't talk to me. Just watch this beautiful Christmas ad about it. You will probably cry, because I always do, and I've watched it loads of times. (And the music is from 'True Grit', if that makes some of you want to see it. Heh, heh.)

"Thus Christmas, the celebration of Love, managed to bring mortal enemies together for a time..." (A WW1 letter.)

Mansfield Park - Fake Trailer

In my opinion, the film-makers haven't yet hit the bat on a Mansfield Park adaptation. This is what I would like a Mansfield Park movie to be like. (Roughly; more or less; you know.) Let me know what you think of my 'fake trailer'!

Jane Austen Musicals // A Guest Post by Emma Jane!

I'm very honoured indeed to grace my blog with a well-written post by my very best of friends, Emma. She's has a name to be jealous of. Emma. And Jane. I mean. It doesn't get more Jane Austen-like than THAT. :-) You can find Emma's blog here. (It's my favourite. Just saying.)

_____________________________________________________

 Hello, friends! *waves*  It’s me, your local musical theatre expert, a.k.a Naomi’s nutty best friend, a.k.a. Emma Jane. Big thank-you to Naomi for letting me guest post! You’re a darling. :-)

    

    Jane Austen’s legacy has lived on for over two hundred years, invading modern pop culture even now. Her books are still as popular as ever (among intelligent people, that is) and they still crank out movie adaptations of her works about every five years (which continue to spark controversy, sarcasm and snarky debate among her rabid fans, of which there are many). You can buy Jane Austen’s face on everything from tote bags and refrigerator magnets to Christmas tree ornaments, coffee mugs, pretty much anything you can think of. Point made -- Jane Austen is out there, everywhere. That’s why it’s hardly surprising that Jane Austen’s timeless stories have made their way into the glittering world of Musical Theatre.

    (You know what I always say -- if you look hard enough, you can find a musical version of anything. This theory was made law upon the discovery that there’s a musical of Secondhand Lions. JUST NO. Sometimes people are a little too creative for their own good.)

     

    When I decided to write about JA musicals for a guest post, the only one I really knew anything about was the Pride and Prejudice written by Lindsay Warren Baker and Amanda Jacobs, and that’s because Laura Osnes starred as Lizzy in the opening production. ;-) (I’m a very devoted Laura fan, by the way.) When I started looking into the show more, I found that there are actually about four or five P&P musicals! Whew. And believe it or not, there have been musicals written for every one of Jane Austen’s six major novels. None of them have made a very big splash on Broadway -- most of them never made it to Broadway -- but they’re out there, just the same!

        Pride and Prejudice remains the most widely-known of Jane Austen’s novels, and so it’s fitting that the musical is the most popular as well. A general Google search revealed that there are about five different musical versions, but who knows how many there really are. There aren’t many videos of any version to be found on Youtube, but it looks like the most famous is the concert version from 2008 with Laura Osnes, and since I’m not about to pay any attention to any version that doesn’t have Laura Osnes in it, that’s the one I’m going to focus on. ;-P

    Pride and Prejudice: A Musical Play opened October 21, 2008 in Rochester, NY. (Fun fact: Rochester is only about three hours from where I live. I COULD HAVE GONE TO SEE IT. Although I doubt my nine-year-old self would have particularly enjoyed it…) It was a concert, and not a fully-staged production, which I take to mean from the less than abundant photographic evidence existing that it was basically just a bunch of people in costume singing on the stage while an orchestra played in the background. (Picture the Les Miz anniversary concerts.) Laura Osnes played Elizabeth Bennet, and Colin Donnell played Mr. Darcy.

    From what I’ve gathered, the character of Jane Austen narrates a lot of the show, with the other characters voicing their thoughts to themselves (Tevye-from-Fiddler-on-the-Roof-style). On the recordings I’ve listened to, I reaaaaally do not like the Jane Austen lady -- she seems much too abbrasive and her voice is lower than I would imagine Jane Austen’s. Laura Osnes and Colin Donnell are both excellent singers and while they’re not ideal  as Lizzy and Darcy, they seem to play the parts well.

     Most of the music is so-so -- nothing extremely brilliant. I could make the remark that a lot of the songs follow the same general tune. ;-P  There are a few very beautiful melodies throughout, though, including my favorite -- “Had I Been In Love”, which Lizzy sings after realizing  how blind she’s been about Darcy all this time.

   As far as an adaptation of the book, I can’t really say how close the musical sticks because I have the disadvantage of not having seen the whole show. ;-/ For the most part the music seems to reflect fittingly the different aspects of the story, the characters’ perspectives and feelings, though I think they could have taken better advantage of Jane Austen’s classic wit. Parts of the music are a little too silly, if you ask me. There are some songs in the show I can’t even listen to because they’re so -- how shall I say it? -- gaggy, if you will. (Like the one Mrs. Bennet sings about her nerves, and Lydia’s swooning over redcoats. That’s just too much for me.) However, there’s a very romantic feel to the music, which I like. It makes you sigh and go, “Ahhh….isn’t that pretty?”

    As a musical, it’s not particularly epic, and it’s not musically stunning, but it’s a sweet little show with some pretty tunes that would be enjoyable to watch. You can find the whole soundtrack here. ‘The Portrait Song’, ‘He Thinks/She Thinks’, and ‘Had I Been In Love’ are my favorites. :-)

The other Jane Austen musicals are very little-known, and not many videos of them exist. But here are some pictures, to give you a little idea…

Sense and Sensibility

    The proposal…..awwwwwww. :-)

   
 Emma

    

I don’t know about you, but that looks pretty weird to me!

I think a musical of a Jane Austen book could be a good idea, but I’d rather just stick to the movies. 

What do you think? 

Did you know Jane Austen’s books have been made into musicals? 

Have you seen any?

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Thank you, Emma, for a lovely post!

Jane Austen Video

Let's start of this Monday with a short Jane Austen video I made last week. Enjoy!

Alfie + Minnie

I am so proud of this adorable asdfghjkllmmsdlgjdfvcfdklj-like video I made, that I just HAD to share it with you all. This couple is SO officially my favourite couple EVER. The cutest one, anyway. AH THEY ARE SO CUUUUTE. I seriously can't STOP smiling.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

(There are Season Three spoilers in it. But you already know the spoilers. They basically fall in love. Haha.)

Here's the video uploaded on Blogger - for the people who are plagued with those monstrous 'Copyright' issues:

My 4 favourite Lark Rise to Candleford characters

Sooo. My life recently has mainly been obsessing over Lark Rise to Candleford. I won't even mention that it's my one weakness, because I've said that many times before, so t'would be vastly unoriginal to repeat it again. But yes, I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT.

So here's a Lark Rise-themed post then. :-)

Please bear that I haven't watched series 3 or 4 yet, so I am unaware of the new characters in there. I might put Daniel Parish on my list in the end, but I don't know yet. I might well though - I've seen pictures of the lad, and I've heard a lot about him. He does sound... em, look, rather nice (*giggle*). But for now, I have enough to choose from as it is.

~.1.~

Dorcas Lane

DORCAS LANE IS THE BEST. Yes, she cannot help but stick her nose into other people's businesses. Yes, she likes a bit of gossip. Yes, she can be very stubborn. Yes, she's disastrously curious. BUT I LOVE HER. She reminds me a bit of myself actually, I suddenly realise. I pry in other people's affairs constantly, I DISASTROUSLY curious, and yes, I do like a bit of gossip, I shan't lie. And I can be very stubborn if I set my mind on it, too.

I love Dorcas Lane. She's so kind. She's so wise and good and so good at solving problems. And then she's also such great fun - hilarious, with all her 'one weaknesses.' And I love how she admits her flaws. Gah, I WANT TO GO AND WORK AT HER POST-OFFICE. I want her to boss me around so badly. :-P

Dorcas Lane makes me want to be a single woman for the rest of my life, frankly. If I don't find my Mr Knightley, I shall happily go in my life as a second Dorcas Lane, and proud of it, too. :-) She's so my favourite character. :-)

~.2.~

Minnie

Minnie LET ME HUG YOU.

First of all, if you don't like Minnie, explain that to me. I must know HOW it is possible, because I don't think it's humanly possible. She's just ADORABLE AND SWEET AND FUNNY. She's so innocent and while everything's her fault you can never really blame her and be angry with her. (Although sometimes you do need to tell her to go out of your sight. Especially when she's talking to you about your love life. (She does this often.))

Minnie is not the cleverest of people, but she's so SWEET and ADORABLE and funny and... she makes us all laugh. I love how she's so taken away by romance. 'Oh, ma'am, I've seen Laura's Ma and Pa kissin' on the road.' or when she said the following to Dorcas lane, a blushing smile on her face: 'I like watching Laura and Fisher together. And Thomas and Mrs Ellison. And you and -' 'Out of my sight, Minnie!'

I love this character. :-) (#bestcharacterever)

~.3.~

Alf Arless

First of all. HIS SMILE. It's the best Period Drama smile ever, I think. THOSE DIMPLES. I wish I could find a picture of his broad smile, but all the ones I found were horribly small ones of no good quality whatsoever.

Alf Arless is such a good nice lad. He's very kind. Such a good sort. I love that he's good-looking, but then a different kind of handsome. I love that he's the parental figure in his family while he's the brother. I love his relationship with his mother. I JUST LOVE HIM. :-)

And he and Minnie together... just too adorable for words asdfghjkl!!!! (No, I haven't actually seen it yet, but I've watched all the fan videos on Youtube, so there. Also, I've viewed pictures and I'm officially melted.)

~.4.~

Caroline Arless

I know, I know. She's a very controversial character. And yes, she has her faults - faults that I don't relate to, I'm happy to say. (I don't drink. Well, I do. But not her kind of drinks.) But she's so much fun!! She totally steals the show in every scene she's in. And I miss her now she's gone! I hope hope hope she comes back. (Does she? Tell me, people-who've-seen-all-of-Lark-Rise.)

You can really see that this character means well. She loves her kids, she loves her neighbours. And also, she's SO HILARIOUS ADMIT IT.

Who's your favourite Lark Rise character?

Tell me, and we can talk.

Before I leave, please watch this video I made of clumsy Period Drama people having accidents. It's only 50 seconds, so you can't do wrong. Plus, I'm rather pleased with it. And also, I'm going to keep on forcing my Period Drama videos on my blog before I have some more Youtube suscribers. (So, I'm going to do The Annoying Thing and ask you to suscribe. Here. Thanks. Have a hug and some pizza. :-D)

And now, without futher ado, have a lovely day. Or night. Or whatever you're about to plunge into.

Fake Trailers

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen (never forget the gentlemen.) The last few days I have started to make Period Drama fan videos, thanks to my lovely sister who said it was something typical me. (She was right, I love making these.) I like to call them Fake trailers. I've made four already, and I must say my little self is rather prodigiously proud of them.

Please grant me your honest opinions. I know I have a lot to learn yet, so do give me some advice (seriously, I can handle brutal facts.) (And a big thank you to Hamlette for telling me how to put up Youtube video's in a larger size!)

Well, what do you think? Which is your favourite? (I am the proudest of 'Testament of Youth's fake trailer, I flatter myself.) If you'd like to see more of these in the future, make sure to pop over to my Youtube channel now and then.

Have a lovely day! <3