This post is about music. Mainly The Civil Wars. Because I love Joy Williams and John Paul White. I think that their voices together are magical. They're both so insanely talented, and I was so sad when they broke up. But that's not what I'm here for. I'm not going to gossip, or spread rumors about why they broke up. I just want to talk about the music.
Barton Hollow was their first album, and let me tell you, that was something special. The first song I ever heard by this dynamic duo was Poison and Wine and it's still one of my favorites. This album has so many great songs aside from Poison and Wine, like Barton Hollow, Falling, I've Got This Friend, and To Whom it May Concern. I just can't get over how well their voices blend together. It's so pure, and so different from anything else out there.
The Civil Wars was their second and final complete album. This album has a very definite flow to it, and it really tells a story. My favorites from this album are The One That Got Away, Devil's Backbone, and Sacred Heart. The whole album is fantastic, but these three are definitely my favorites. They're probably the saddest tracks on the album. But don't be turned off by that; they're worth a listen.
They also appeared on Place at This Table with T Bone Burnett, but I haven't listened to those songs. They had several EPs, with some fantastic tracks on them.
I would definitely recommend listening to The Civil Wars. No matter what music I bounce around to, Joy Williams and John Paul White are the two I keep going back to.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Inspiration and Characters
I want to talk about inspiration, and writing when you're not inspired.
I hate writing when I'm not inspired. Sometimes I feel this sudden inspiration, and I "just have to start writing right that very second because my entire future depends on it and if I don't start writing I'm going to forget and I need to write right this very second--"
But sometimes I feel no inspiration at all. I want to write, but I have no ideas, and I don't know what to say. I know anything I write will be stupid.
Sometimes, I don't even want to write. My inner editor will get its hands around my throat, and tell me I'm a horrible writer, and I shouldn't even bother.
But if NaNoWriMo has taught me anything, it's that you have to write, even when you don't feel inspired. Even if you're just putting words on the page, and they're all stupid. Even if you feel like every word is a drag, and you're not getting anywhere. It doesn't matter. You have to keep putting words on that page. It's like Neil Gaiman said: "This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard, and you put one word after another until it's done. It's that easy, and that hard." And he's right. It can be that easy, and it can be that hard. More often than not, it's going to be that hard. And the words you type are, more often than not, going to be bad. But if you love writing, you have to do it. You owe it to yourself to write on those days when you feel dry. I have written so many things that I love, but I wouldn't have these things that I love if I didn't write when I'm dry.
Inspiration can come from anywhere. A picture, a word, a sentence. It can come from a stranger, or from your best friend. I have an entire board on Pinterest devoted to pictures that inspire me. Books inspire me. Movies. TV shows. I love to write, and I love thinking about writing, and talking about writing. I love reading. Words are my bread and butter. They're my oxygen. I can live without a lot of things. I recently diagnosed myself with lactose intolerance, and I'm learning to live without as much dairy as I want to be eating (I love ice cream). But I can't live without my words. I need them. My music, my books, my characters. I love the characters that I have created. They're like my children. And the characters that I didn't create, but that I love, are some of my dearest friends. Lizzie Bennet and Harry Potter. Katniss Everdeen and Liesel Meminger. I have laughed with these characters, and cried with them. I can't live without my friends, created by words.
Monday, March 10, 2014
LBD
To a nerd, LBD does not mean "Little Black Dress." It refers to "Lizzie Bennet Diaries," the 10 hour modern vlog adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice." I absolutely adore this series. All the actors are stunning, and portray their characters perfectly. If you haven't seen this series and don't want spoilers, you might not want to read this post. :) THERE WILL BE SPOILERS HERE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
I'll start with the good: Darcy. Darcy, Darcy, Darcy, Darcy, Darcy. I can't say it enough. I love Darcy, and Daniel Vincent Gordh is perfect. Seriously. Ahhhh. Up until episode sixty, we only see Darcy as portrayed by Lizzie, her sisters Jane and Lydia, and her best friend Charlotte, through "Costume Theater." This is Lizzie's way of telling stories. We also see her and her sisters portray Bing Lee, Caroline Lee, and occasionally each other. But when we finally meet Darcy, face-to-face, he does not disappoint. The actor managed to capture the way he'd been played in previous episodes, complete with drawing his chin in when he's nervous.
Lydia is also wonderful. She's a partier, with a definite sweet side. But her wild side wins out more often, causing friction between herself and her well-meaning older sisters. She constantly clashes with Lizzie, who disapproves of her partying and her "boyfriends." Lydia's story will break your heart, but I'll get to that later.
Jane is an absolute sweetie, and her boyfriend Bing is, too. They're the perfect match, much as they are in the book. Jane playing Darcy in Costume Theater, and fake texting when "he" saw Lizzie almost made me die laughing.
Gigi Darcy is played by the adorable Allison Paige, and she sort of represents the fans. She ships her brother with Lizzie, and does everything in her power to get the two of them together.
And now, to Lizzie. Ashley Clements is a fabulous actress, and she played Lizzie to perfection. She knew exactly what she was doing when she took this role. Lizzie is hilarious, and you will love her instantly. But she will also drive you out of your mind when she's being her usual judgy self.
And now to the bad: George Wickham. Played by the wonderfully talented Wes Aderhold (who is much nicer in real life), he is the king of all jerks. He's manipulative, and a liar. I really, really dislike him. He first took advantage of Darcy's little sister, Gigi, and then moved on to preying on Lydia.
Caroline Lee is basically just a brat, who never thinks about anyone but herself. That's all I have to say about her.
The romantic: Okay, I could go on for hours about this. I'll start off easy, with the "what was romance in the book, but isn't in the series." Mr. Collins is hilariously played by Maxwell Glick. In this version, he does not so much propose to Lizzie, as ask her to be his business partner. I mean, come on. We all know he has a girlfriend in Canada. Right? She is real, right?
Jane and Bing have a painful relationship. It starts off great, but then he suddenly moves back to LA, without so much as a goodbye. He breaks her heart, even though she made him snicker doodles. Snicker doodles! Lizzie is horrified, much as she should be. Jane spends three days in her room, has a good cry with Lizzie, and then starts to recover. She's finally moved on when Bing comes back, and, well. We all know that true love forgives.
Lizzie and Darcy are so... I don't even know. I don't have enough words for how much I love them. And I'm afraid that if I try to explain, it'll break the internet. They start off hating each other. She finds out from his friend Fitz that he broke up Jane and Bing, and she's furious. Rightly so. Lizzie calls him a heartless robot, ON HER VIDEOS. Yeah, that's a good idea. When they're arguing after he awkwardly (but so adorably) confesses his love for her, she yells that if he wanted to know how she felt about him, he should have watched her videos. Oops. A few months later, Lizzie is working on a project for grad school, and she ends up shadowing at Darcy's company Pemberley Digital. Here, he's nothing but nice to her, and he even partakes in Costume Theater with her. She meets his younger sister. she begins to fall in love with him. But then she's called home by an emergency, involving Lydia, and a certain tape that George Wickham is selling on the internet. I don't want to completely spoil what Darcy does to help, but let's just say that being a rich CEO really helps. When Lizzie finds out what he's done, she calls him, and he comes to see her, leading to lots of feels. I literally screamed when I was watching episode 98.
And now, the heartbreaking. Which, basically, is Lydia's entire story. I already said that she and Lizzie clash over Lydia's partying, but when Lizzie gives her a book called "Where Did I Park My Car?: A Party Girl's Guide to Becoming a Successful Adult," things come to a head, and Lydia snaps. She doesn't understand the Lizzie is just trying to help, and sees this as a personal attack. She storms off to Vegas for New Years, where she reconnects with George Pigface Wickham. A little ways into the series, Lydia started doing her own videos, and the last several include George. Here we watch him manipulate her into falling in love with him, and cutting off contact with her sisters, who are in LA and at Pemberley Digital. We are powerless as we watch Lydia fall deeper in love with each episode, all the while believing that he loves her, too. He tells her things like "I'm here for you, but where are your sisters?" But when the "Lydia Bennet Tape" website goes up, Lizzie comes home to confront Lydia, thinking she's in on the plan. But the second Lydia lays eyes on the site, she breaks down. She had no idea. This is about where you realize that Mary Kate Wiles (actress playing Lydia) is stealing the show. But you don't mind, because she's an insanely talented actress. I cry every time I watch episode 87. Lydia has realized that he never loved her, and she says she thinks she might be a monster. "Because if he's all bad, then what does that say about me?" She truly believes she got what was coming to her, and it breaks my heart every time. "I thought I was, for once, good enough for somebody." This is about the moment I lose it, and I start to sob, and so does she. "Why didn't he love me, Lizzie?" This video is the first time Lizzie says "I love you" to her little sister. This is when their relationship begins to heal.
So I guess my feelings about this series are still pretty strong, even though it's been almost a year since it ended. I hope you were able to understand all my ramblings. :)
I'll start with the good: Darcy. Darcy, Darcy, Darcy, Darcy, Darcy. I can't say it enough. I love Darcy, and Daniel Vincent Gordh is perfect. Seriously. Ahhhh. Up until episode sixty, we only see Darcy as portrayed by Lizzie, her sisters Jane and Lydia, and her best friend Charlotte, through "Costume Theater." This is Lizzie's way of telling stories. We also see her and her sisters portray Bing Lee, Caroline Lee, and occasionally each other. But when we finally meet Darcy, face-to-face, he does not disappoint. The actor managed to capture the way he'd been played in previous episodes, complete with drawing his chin in when he's nervous.
Lydia is also wonderful. She's a partier, with a definite sweet side. But her wild side wins out more often, causing friction between herself and her well-meaning older sisters. She constantly clashes with Lizzie, who disapproves of her partying and her "boyfriends." Lydia's story will break your heart, but I'll get to that later.
Jane is an absolute sweetie, and her boyfriend Bing is, too. They're the perfect match, much as they are in the book. Jane playing Darcy in Costume Theater, and fake texting when "he" saw Lizzie almost made me die laughing.
Gigi Darcy is played by the adorable Allison Paige, and she sort of represents the fans. She ships her brother with Lizzie, and does everything in her power to get the two of them together.
And now, to Lizzie. Ashley Clements is a fabulous actress, and she played Lizzie to perfection. She knew exactly what she was doing when she took this role. Lizzie is hilarious, and you will love her instantly. But she will also drive you out of your mind when she's being her usual judgy self.
And now to the bad: George Wickham. Played by the wonderfully talented Wes Aderhold (who is much nicer in real life), he is the king of all jerks. He's manipulative, and a liar. I really, really dislike him. He first took advantage of Darcy's little sister, Gigi, and then moved on to preying on Lydia.
Caroline Lee is basically just a brat, who never thinks about anyone but herself. That's all I have to say about her.
The romantic: Okay, I could go on for hours about this. I'll start off easy, with the "what was romance in the book, but isn't in the series." Mr. Collins is hilariously played by Maxwell Glick. In this version, he does not so much propose to Lizzie, as ask her to be his business partner. I mean, come on. We all know he has a girlfriend in Canada. Right? She is real, right?
Jane and Bing have a painful relationship. It starts off great, but then he suddenly moves back to LA, without so much as a goodbye. He breaks her heart, even though she made him snicker doodles. Snicker doodles! Lizzie is horrified, much as she should be. Jane spends three days in her room, has a good cry with Lizzie, and then starts to recover. She's finally moved on when Bing comes back, and, well. We all know that true love forgives.
Lizzie and Darcy are so... I don't even know. I don't have enough words for how much I love them. And I'm afraid that if I try to explain, it'll break the internet. They start off hating each other. She finds out from his friend Fitz that he broke up Jane and Bing, and she's furious. Rightly so. Lizzie calls him a heartless robot, ON HER VIDEOS. Yeah, that's a good idea. When they're arguing after he awkwardly (but so adorably) confesses his love for her, she yells that if he wanted to know how she felt about him, he should have watched her videos. Oops. A few months later, Lizzie is working on a project for grad school, and she ends up shadowing at Darcy's company Pemberley Digital. Here, he's nothing but nice to her, and he even partakes in Costume Theater with her. She meets his younger sister. she begins to fall in love with him. But then she's called home by an emergency, involving Lydia, and a certain tape that George Wickham is selling on the internet. I don't want to completely spoil what Darcy does to help, but let's just say that being a rich CEO really helps. When Lizzie finds out what he's done, she calls him, and he comes to see her, leading to lots of feels. I literally screamed when I was watching episode 98.
And now, the heartbreaking. Which, basically, is Lydia's entire story. I already said that she and Lizzie clash over Lydia's partying, but when Lizzie gives her a book called "Where Did I Park My Car?: A Party Girl's Guide to Becoming a Successful Adult," things come to a head, and Lydia snaps. She doesn't understand the Lizzie is just trying to help, and sees this as a personal attack. She storms off to Vegas for New Years, where she reconnects with George Pigface Wickham. A little ways into the series, Lydia started doing her own videos, and the last several include George. Here we watch him manipulate her into falling in love with him, and cutting off contact with her sisters, who are in LA and at Pemberley Digital. We are powerless as we watch Lydia fall deeper in love with each episode, all the while believing that he loves her, too. He tells her things like "I'm here for you, but where are your sisters?" But when the "Lydia Bennet Tape" website goes up, Lizzie comes home to confront Lydia, thinking she's in on the plan. But the second Lydia lays eyes on the site, she breaks down. She had no idea. This is about where you realize that Mary Kate Wiles (actress playing Lydia) is stealing the show. But you don't mind, because she's an insanely talented actress. I cry every time I watch episode 87. Lydia has realized that he never loved her, and she says she thinks she might be a monster. "Because if he's all bad, then what does that say about me?" She truly believes she got what was coming to her, and it breaks my heart every time. "I thought I was, for once, good enough for somebody." This is about the moment I lose it, and I start to sob, and so does she. "Why didn't he love me, Lizzie?" This video is the first time Lizzie says "I love you" to her little sister. This is when their relationship begins to heal.
So I guess my feelings about this series are still pretty strong, even though it's been almost a year since it ended. I hope you were able to understand all my ramblings. :)
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
My Home Girl, Jane
If you know me, you know that I love Jane Austen. Love, love, love. I have read all her books, and seen a bunch of the movie adaptations. So I'm going to talk about some adaptations! They're not going to be in any particular order, aside from sorted based on book. I will also rate them. It's not going to be a super critical rating, so they'll probably all end up with either five stars, or one.
1. Sense and Sensibility (1995): This was the first Jane Austen movie I ever watched. My first introduction to the wonderful world of Jane, and I fell. Hard. From the first few moments, I was hooked. I was blown away by Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, and Kate Winslet. The scene that stuck with me the most was when Colonel Brandon carries Marianne home through the pouring rain. 5/5 stars.
2. Pride and Prejudice (2005): The first version of Pride and Prejudice I watched, and the version that caused me to fall in love with the story. Absolutely gorgeous version, with beautiful cinematography, costumes, and acting. Matthew Macfayden as Mr. Darcy and Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet have fantastic chemistry. And, oh man, that first proposal in the rain? Oh, and what about the second proposal, at dawn?? That man knows how to propose. Seriously. 5/5 stars.
3. Mansfield Park (2007): Mansfield Park is probably my least favorite Austen novel. I just didn't really connect as much with Fanny Price, which made the novel hard for me to get through. But, it's Jane. So I still really enjoyed it. And this version, with Billie Piper as Fanny and Blake Ritson as Edmund Bertram was very sweet. I love Billie Piper. 4/5 stars.
4. Pride and Prejudice (1995): Oh my goodness. Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy? Doesn't get much better than that. He slam dunked the role, and stole every scene he was in. This version is so great, partly because it's an older BBC production. So even though the costumes and scenery may not be the best, the main acting is phenomenal. Mrs. Bennet does start to grate on you by the time you're into the second hour, but that's okay. Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth more than make up for it. If you asked me to pick between this and the 2005 version, I would disappear in a cloud of smoke to avoid having to choose. 5/5 stars.
5. Northanger Abbey (2007): So, so sweet. I love the book, and I love this movie. J.J. Fields as Mr. Tilney and Felicity Jones as Catherine Morland were just so adorable. Seriously, precious. I so relate to Cathy as she deals with an overactive imagination from reading too many novels. I cringe when she suspects Mr. Tilney's father of murdering his wife. And, I mean really. Felicity Jones is too adorable. 5/5 stars.
6. Emma (1996): Okay. So, I liked it. It was cute, and Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightley was a very nice choice. But, Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma? She didn't grab me. I couldn't sympathize with her like I could in the book. And Mr. Elton, portrayed by Alan Cumming, kind of drove me crazy. 3/5 stars.
7. Persuasion (1995): 1995 was the year for Jane Austen productions, wasn't it? This one is so lovely. I've never found Ciaran Hinds to be particularly attractive, but he stole my heart as Captain Wentworth. And Amanda Root was so cute as Anne Elliot. The tension between the two of them was very well done, and it was a super sweet movie. 5/5 stars.
8. Emma (2009): Easily my favorite version of Emma. Beautiful, well acted, and just all around gorgeous. This is the movie that made me fall in love with Jonny Lee Miller. Romola Garai was the perfect Emma, and so far above Gwyneth Paltrow. Jonny Lee Miller and Romola Garai together were magical. I want them to get together so bad, I could cry at "badly done, Emma." I would watch this version over and over. All four hours of it. 5/5 stars.
9. Pride and Prejudice (1980): I couldn't get through the first two hours of this five hour mini-series. David Rintoul as Mr. Darcy was stiff as a board, and super forced. Even when I skipped ahead to the second proposal, he barely smiled. Elizabeth Garvie's Lizzy Bennet seemed really weird, and very different from how you imagine Lizzy to be. 1/5 stars.
10. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012-2013): Got ten hours to spare? Looking for a modern day version of Pride and Prejudice? This is what you need to watch. I laughed at almost all every episode of this Youtube series. It's so wonderful. Lizzie (played to perfection by Ashley Clements) is a 24 year old grad student, and the whole story is told in vlog format. While you don't actually see Darcy (the stunning Daniel Vincent Gordh) until about halfway through, "Costume Theater" will tell you everything you need to know about him. Maybe. I have never loved Lydia Bennet before Mary Kate Wiles portrayed her. Her story line is vastly different from in the book, and honestly, this is by far my favorite Lydia that I've seen. Mary Kate Wiles and Ashley Clements will have interactions that will make you laugh, cringe, and sob your face off. 5/5 stars. (This series actually deserves its own post. Stay tuned for that.)
11. Emma Approved (2013-?): Emma Approved is a fairly new Youtube series, made by the same company that made LBD. Emma is played by the wonderful Joanna Sotomura, and she really is exactly like in the book. In this version, Emma is a life coach, and is documenting her work/life. She and Alex Knightley (Brent Bailey) work together. They have a lot of very convincing sparring matches, but still manage to convince the audience that they're in love, even though they may not realize it yet. 5/5 stars.
What's your favorite Jane Austen adaptation?
1. Sense and Sensibility (1995): This was the first Jane Austen movie I ever watched. My first introduction to the wonderful world of Jane, and I fell. Hard. From the first few moments, I was hooked. I was blown away by Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, and Kate Winslet. The scene that stuck with me the most was when Colonel Brandon carries Marianne home through the pouring rain. 5/5 stars.
2. Pride and Prejudice (2005): The first version of Pride and Prejudice I watched, and the version that caused me to fall in love with the story. Absolutely gorgeous version, with beautiful cinematography, costumes, and acting. Matthew Macfayden as Mr. Darcy and Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet have fantastic chemistry. And, oh man, that first proposal in the rain? Oh, and what about the second proposal, at dawn?? That man knows how to propose. Seriously. 5/5 stars.
3. Mansfield Park (2007): Mansfield Park is probably my least favorite Austen novel. I just didn't really connect as much with Fanny Price, which made the novel hard for me to get through. But, it's Jane. So I still really enjoyed it. And this version, with Billie Piper as Fanny and Blake Ritson as Edmund Bertram was very sweet. I love Billie Piper. 4/5 stars.
4. Pride and Prejudice (1995): Oh my goodness. Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy? Doesn't get much better than that. He slam dunked the role, and stole every scene he was in. This version is so great, partly because it's an older BBC production. So even though the costumes and scenery may not be the best, the main acting is phenomenal. Mrs. Bennet does start to grate on you by the time you're into the second hour, but that's okay. Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth more than make up for it. If you asked me to pick between this and the 2005 version, I would disappear in a cloud of smoke to avoid having to choose. 5/5 stars.
5. Northanger Abbey (2007): So, so sweet. I love the book, and I love this movie. J.J. Fields as Mr. Tilney and Felicity Jones as Catherine Morland were just so adorable. Seriously, precious. I so relate to Cathy as she deals with an overactive imagination from reading too many novels. I cringe when she suspects Mr. Tilney's father of murdering his wife. And, I mean really. Felicity Jones is too adorable. 5/5 stars.
6. Emma (1996): Okay. So, I liked it. It was cute, and Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightley was a very nice choice. But, Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma? She didn't grab me. I couldn't sympathize with her like I could in the book. And Mr. Elton, portrayed by Alan Cumming, kind of drove me crazy. 3/5 stars.
7. Persuasion (1995): 1995 was the year for Jane Austen productions, wasn't it? This one is so lovely. I've never found Ciaran Hinds to be particularly attractive, but he stole my heart as Captain Wentworth. And Amanda Root was so cute as Anne Elliot. The tension between the two of them was very well done, and it was a super sweet movie. 5/5 stars.
8. Emma (2009): Easily my favorite version of Emma. Beautiful, well acted, and just all around gorgeous. This is the movie that made me fall in love with Jonny Lee Miller. Romola Garai was the perfect Emma, and so far above Gwyneth Paltrow. Jonny Lee Miller and Romola Garai together were magical. I want them to get together so bad, I could cry at "badly done, Emma." I would watch this version over and over. All four hours of it. 5/5 stars.
9. Pride and Prejudice (1980): I couldn't get through the first two hours of this five hour mini-series. David Rintoul as Mr. Darcy was stiff as a board, and super forced. Even when I skipped ahead to the second proposal, he barely smiled. Elizabeth Garvie's Lizzy Bennet seemed really weird, and very different from how you imagine Lizzy to be. 1/5 stars.
10. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012-2013): Got ten hours to spare? Looking for a modern day version of Pride and Prejudice? This is what you need to watch. I laughed at almost all every episode of this Youtube series. It's so wonderful. Lizzie (played to perfection by Ashley Clements) is a 24 year old grad student, and the whole story is told in vlog format. While you don't actually see Darcy (the stunning Daniel Vincent Gordh) until about halfway through, "Costume Theater" will tell you everything you need to know about him. Maybe. I have never loved Lydia Bennet before Mary Kate Wiles portrayed her. Her story line is vastly different from in the book, and honestly, this is by far my favorite Lydia that I've seen. Mary Kate Wiles and Ashley Clements will have interactions that will make you laugh, cringe, and sob your face off. 5/5 stars. (This series actually deserves its own post. Stay tuned for that.)
11. Emma Approved (2013-?): Emma Approved is a fairly new Youtube series, made by the same company that made LBD. Emma is played by the wonderful Joanna Sotomura, and she really is exactly like in the book. In this version, Emma is a life coach, and is documenting her work/life. She and Alex Knightley (Brent Bailey) work together. They have a lot of very convincing sparring matches, but still manage to convince the audience that they're in love, even though they may not realize it yet. 5/5 stars.
What's your favorite Jane Austen adaptation?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)