Jane Austen In Real Life

This is the perfect way to sum up my day:

 "I could more easily forgive his vanity had he not wounded mine."
Elizabeth Bennet, Pride & Prejudice (2005 Version)

Jane Austen Clutch Bags

Kate Spade

Just Because It's Valentine's Day....

image source

Jane Austen, I Apologize on Behalf of Humanity

Someone always tries to ruin a good thing, but in Jane Austen's case a great thing. I love Jane Austen's novels, they are amazing and well written. If you go to Barnes and Noble's website you will find over 2,565 books that are in relation to Miss Austen.....and this is where my rant begins. Now I know people can't leave well enough alone but this is ridiculous. First it started out with sequels: Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife, Captain Wentworth's Diary, etc. etc. etc. I haven't read all of them but the sequel I did read was.....umm....shall we say I won't be discussing it in Bible School, lol. There are also books that tie in with Jane Austen like Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, Me & Mr. Darcy, Austenland, etc. etc, etc. Those aren't so bad. But I draw the line at Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, Sense & Sensibility & Sea Monsters, Emma and the Werewolves and Pride & Prejudice & Zombie: Dawn of the Dreadfuls. Not to mention that they have graphic novels to go with these horrid titles! I am going to form a protest! A book burning if need be!!!!!!! If this continues, I don't know what will happen. What if these titles become movies?!!!? God forbid!!!! I am over-reacting? I mean, Jane Austen was an awesome write that inspired some of our great writers today. To take a novel and degrade it in such a way.....words can't even describe how I feel. Maybe my sugar is low and I am being cranky; I don't know......

You Ruined Me, Miss Austen......

(Sigh)....I am rereading Pride & Prejudice and I have to say I absolutely love it! The language, the descriptions make me what to just run away. This of course did not help when I stared to watch the both Pride & Prjudice DVD's (BBC 1995 Version; Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle), (US Version; Kiera Knightley, Matthew MacFadyen)

as well as both Persuasion DVD's (1995 Version; Amanda Root, Ciaran Hinds), (2007 ITV Version; Sally Hawkins, Rupert Penry Jones). When I was done I was a totally mush ball. I sighed and swooned at all the right parts and argued with the tv screen in the parts in between. My end result: I need to get a life! So that being said, I tell you Miss Austen: no man will ever hold a candle to Mr.Darcy or Captain Wentworth; and it's completely your fault! LOL. Well....maybe God might send me a guy that can write a love letter to rival Captain Wentworth....Until then, I'll reread his letter to Anne.

You Inspire Me....

I love France! The culture, the language, the style! (My friends and I are going to Paris next year!) I was looking up new haircuts and I feel in love with a cut called the "Gamine cut". Audrey Hepburn had one; and as I google and come across more images (especially french celebs) I'm convinced its time for a cut! Audrey Tatou makes me want to cut my hair myself! I'm in a stage where I need to change. I'm boring myself; and that's not a good look.


Anyway, I wen to see The Young Victoria with my friend Beatriz and I have to say I absolutely loved it! Victoria and Albert's love story was so beautiful! I also love Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend (swoon worthy; Mr. Wickham in Pride & Prejudice US version) so maybe I'm a swayed easily. Anyway, it made me think of modern day romance, or the lack thereof really; and how we're so comfortable with it. I am sorry, I love the sonnets, the letters, etc. I'm not saying be cheesy to the point I will vomit (lol), I'm just saying can we put romance back into romance?

How Would You Write It?

If my life was a Jane Austen novel I would be married by now.....Yikes! I am 24 and that's approaching spinsterhood in those days. I can't help but wonder: what would my life be like if she wrote it? But since I have the most awesome writer in the whole world (God) writing my story; it can't get any better. Don't you agree? God is the best writer because He already knows how its going to end way before it begins. Plus, there are no cliff hangers. It has an amazing beginning, middle, and ending. He's the ultimate writer so no one can do it better. I remember reading "When God Writes Your Love Story" by Eric & Leslie Ludy and I have to say it opens your eyes. We let God write every aspect of our life story but we don't want to trust Him to write the one story that He should definitely have a part in.

Enough With the Gushy Stuff!

Ok, I am done with all the gushy stuff. I think I might go into a coma from all this sugar. My cousin and his fiancée have grossed me out, my best friend and her fiancé as well are doing it to me as well. I am trying to deal with this in very, very, very small doses. If they continue, I won't be able to enjoy my Jane Austen! Gasp! I totally take that back, Jane Austen will always be enjoyable. I can't believe I just said that. I'm groggy, maybe some coffee and a chocolate donut would make me feel better, lol.

I'm Having A Sigh Moment

So I have this routine every Sunday morning: I get up, get my outfit out, shower, watch Joel Osteen......and watch Persuasion (2007 version). I know, where does that fit in? It doesn't. It's just a calm show to have on with all the junk on TV these days especially on Sundays. But, I love the part when Captain Wentworth writes the letter to Anne and she runs to find him.....that's where the sigh comes in. His letter is amazing! "....You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. ....I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan.....I can hardly write... I must go, uncertain of my fate.... A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never." Do you see what I mean? ..Sigh... I will always love this letter.....sigh... I am done now, lol.

Kindle? No Thanks.

So as some of you know, I am a die hard book reader. I mainly read Christian Chick- Lit now (so I don’t have any unnecessary stuff circulating around in my head) and Classics……mainly JANE AUSTEN! (Did I mention I absolutely love her?) I found out about a device called a “kindle” when I was on the train heading home the other day. I remember hearing about it a while back but thought it would phase itself out, but they have been pushing it more and more. Now, I am eco-friendly; I do the paper bags, recycle, etc. but when it comes to books I have to draw the line. A book is something you should never replace. Make them thinner or smaller if you need to but don’t give me a little piece of electronics and tell me I can store a bunch of books on it. I refuse to cheat on my books! What is supposed to happen to bookstores? alibris.com? I want to from a coup d’etat! LOL; I’m just joking. That would be a little too extreme.  But as long as they don’t try to phase of my books, we will have an unspoken truce between us.

A Romantic-Realist?

I am a total sap in regards to everyone but myself. I can't help but "awww" with everyone else when I see or hear the most adorable and romantic things couples do. But me, the buck stops there. I think I have been around too many guys and that has ruined my idea of romance. I like to call myself a Romantic-Realist. I know you might say that doesn't exist or that it sounds like an oxymoron but I really am one. I believe that romance and all the overly sappy stuff involved should only be expected in romance novels and romantic movies. Only on a rare exception (a very rare) should it be expected in real life, lol. I look at it like this: if you only expect it in fiction you won't be disappointed in real life. Don't you agree? If we really think about the average male and his idea of romance, you will find that nothing on it will match your list. Some men are different. For example, there some guys that actually pay attention to the little things, like hand holding and all the sickening other things, lol. But I have to be the odd ball. I am not a fan of romantic gestures; give me electronics instead of flowers (they last longer), if you want to get me jewelry give me anything but diamonds (they're so boring looking) and if you propose I rather it be when we are just hanging out (I am not a fan of grand, elaborate surprises). So that being said, it's not hard to see that I am not the most romantic person when it comes to real life. I swoon when I read and reread Jane Austen (but that is a totally different story, lol). You know I bet just to show His humor; God is going to pair me with a sweep you off your feet, stare at the stars at night while he's on the phone with you, text you whenever he's "thinking about you" Romantic type of guy. And he might work at me until he breaks me down and turn me into a bunch of mush..... God I hope not! Lol.

Girl's Night In!!!

Finally!!! My best friends and I had a girls night. We went to the mall to shop (of course) and went to my girlfriends house later to eat and watch tv and movies. Sadly Jane Austen wasn't an option in the movie pile. What a cruel world I live in! I'm having a major Starbucks White Mocha craving. The last time I had one was last year after my ballet class. I want some sooo bad. Maybe if I do a late night commute to the Starbucks in the city I can get 2 so I won't have to worry about one in the morning. Are they open this late? I think they should have a 24 hour Starbucks! I should patent that idea, I would be so rich! You know what? I should call it an early night, the lack of caffeine is making me delusional.

Saturdays & Jane Austen

I had a wonderful morning. I watched Persuasion (the Sally Hawkins & Rupert Penry Jones version) and Pride & Prejudice (the Keira Knightley & Matthew MacFadyen version) as a marathon. One after the other. One word: AMAZING! I am a total Jane Austen groupie. I had choir rehearsal this evening; we learned a new song which I can't remember (lol). Tonight was the Youth dinner. It was wonderful. The youth of the church were the servers and everything was served via candle light. It was such a nice night to be surrounded by fellow saints in Christ. It made me realized that we should do things like on a regular basis. Being Christians doesn't mean that we have to be boring. We get to live knowing that we received the most wonderful gift ever: eternal life! Everyday for me feels like a celebration; a day to enjoy the life that has been given to me. Why shouldn't we? Anyone care to join me?

The Power of a Love Letter

I'm an old fashion girl in the sense that if you have something meaningful and/or passionate (not too passionate) to say to me that it should be said in a letter. Don't get me wrong, I want you to say it to my face as well but there is something amazing about making your thoughts and words immortal. Perfect example: I came across a book in Barnes & Noble (during one of my many book runs, I know I need help) called "Love Letters of Great Men" by Ursula Doyle. Not all of them were the most romantic but the fact that they communicated what was on their minds and hearts without fear gets to me. Everytime I watch Persuasion (both versions) I stopped breathing and listen to every word Frederick says to Anne in his letter. For him, that was it. He had to let Anne know everything, it was his last chance. He had no fear.
It brings to mind one of my favorite Bible verses that I always go back to: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18). If Frederick didn't write Anne and let himself dwell on the past and being afraid, we wouldn't have know about their happy ending. If you have God, you have love, and if you have love you can't have fear because God hasn't given us a spirit of fear.
That being said, maybe its time to write a letter. Literally or figuratively. Maybe its time to do something that the Lord has laid on your heart, maybe its time share your testimony with someone who is going through the same thing you have been through. Maybe its time to open your heart to your future helpmate. You never know. If we keep fearing and hiding instead of living and loving the way God has intended for us we will never get anything done. When will you let God write you and love letter or vice versa?