Small Talk: a.k.a. 'The Meet Market'

[MedievalGirl]

Ha me too. I tried both knitting and crochet even nalbinding and failed. I can make a net though. 

[Shanna Marie]

I have a strange mental/physical block to crochet, but I'm kind of addicted to knitting. At the moment I have four projects in the works. I'm knitting an afghan as a Christmas present for my brother and SIL. That has to be done by Thanksgiving because that's when I'll see them. They're hard to shop for, but last year I gave them one, and my SIL's way of thanking me was to point out that there were two of them and only one afghan, so I'm making another with the same yarn but a different pattern. This is a lace pattern, so it's moderately complicated and requires some concentration, and that means I do it while watching the kind of TV shows I can mostly listen to. Then I'm also working on a hat. My church serves a hot breakfast at a homeless shelter every Christmas morning, and every year we also do a collection of a particular kind of gift to hand out. This year, all the knitters are trying to make enough hats to be able to give one to each person. That's a relatively easy pattern I can do without much attention, and it's good for a break. I've also got a scarf I'm working on that's just garter stitch, so that's what I work on while watching something I want to actually watch. And I've got a lace collar going, but it's very complicated and is fine yarn on tiny needles, so I mostly work on that while listening to music.

[RadioGirl27]

After reading the last posts, I have a terrible urge to reread Jean Austen's books. :-) Maybe it's time to finally read her in English.

knitting, on the other hand, it's not my thing.

Edited November 5, 2014 by RadioGirl27

[Alex]

Two Outlander fans!!!! Count me in!!!

Persuasion is my favourite JA book, and movie :)

(the one with Amanda Root). Captain Wentworth wrote THE love letter!

Although I think that John Thornton, from North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, is the best literature male character, even better than Mr Darcy!

Hum. I would consider also Jamie Fraser, if we were talking books in general. Ok, I'm snob, but I don't consider Outlander literature.

As for the knitting, I learned very young the basic points, my mom was an amazing knitter, but as I'm lazy, I just knit easy things, like vests.

Angelwoody, you should have one hour with a knitter and I'm sure you could learn!

[InsertWordHere]

Mmm, I do love Mr. Thornton.

[Alex]

Yay! I feel less lonely! Nobody around me knows him. Ok, to be honest, I didn't know him either until three years ago, when I watched the BBC series!

[myril]

It's some impressive soundscape, when they untile the roof right over your head, sounds like the roof and more is coming down on me. Well, it sort of is. Aside that it is kinda strange when living 5th floor to suddenly have a bunch of people talking right in front of your window (no fire-escape with this house, scaffold).

 

If I had known that they are doing this part today, would have planed for some "office" time in a nearby cafe.

And what a fantastic idea of my landlord to do some rebuilding in late fall.

[angelwoody]

Two Outlander fans!!!! Count me in!!!

Persuasion is my favourite JA book, and movie :)

(the one with Amanda Root). Captain Wentworth wrote THE love letter!

Although I think that John Thornton, from North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, is the best literature male character, even better than Mr Darcy!

Hum. I would consider also Jamie Fraser, if we were talking books in general. Ok, I'm snob, but I don't consider Outlander literature.

As for the knitting, I learned very young the basic points, my mom was an amazing knitter, but as I'm lazy, I just knit easy things, like vests.

Angelwoody, you should have one hour with a knitter and I'm sure you could learn!

Alex, P&P was my favorite Jane Austen novel for ages, but as I've gotten older, I find that Persuasion really resonates with me.  And I love the Amanda Root/ Ciaran Hinds version.  It's my sick day/ bad day viewing comfort food.  :-)  And if anyone ever wrote me a letter like Wentworth's, I would combust on the spot!  I love Mr. Thornton as well.  He is so intense...  

 

Perhaps I'll look for a knitting class and really give it a go this winter.  You have all inspired me!  :-)

[HoodlumSheep]

Mr. Thornton!!!! My mom and I just watched the North & South mini series for the first time about a month ago. We loved it! Admittedly we were cracking up through most of it, mainly because literally 90% of it was made up of people (mainly Mr. Thornton) dramatically staring at something. Especially through windows. I loved it. Then we watched the older version with Patrick Stewart. The newer version is definitely better IMO, but I grew decently fond of his Mr. Thornton by the end.

My mom and I just started watching Wives and Daughters the other day. Everyone is in it. Penelope Wilton (is that her last name?) from Downton,Michael Gambon, the guy who played Richard Carlisle in Downton, Mr. Collins and Jane From the P&P 2005 movie. Roger Hamley is an adorable nerd. He's such a cutie! I'd probably take him over the Austen men and Mr. Thornton.

[Alex]

I owe to the BBC series the discovery of the novel, which became one of my favourite books ever, and of Elizabeth Gaskell (I don't know why she wasn't in my English literature books in university). And made me discover Richard Armitage!

 

I confess I don't remember if I read Emma... And that I haven't read the entire P&P in 20 years (and read it 20 years ago only because it was mandatory in English literature class). Perhaps because I've all the movies and series?!!

 

I offered my ex boss, as farewell present, North and South. He has something of Mr Thornton. Minus the passion, or rather, he has it, but it's closeted!

[Rumsy4]

No fictional hero can beat Mr. Knightley in my estimation. He rode through the rain all the way from London just to comfort Emma...

I love Notth and South. I accidentally got the wrong North and South DVD from the library the first time, and ended up watching Part I & II of the American Civil War soap. It was pretty good! haha Anyways, I finally watched the Gaskell adaptation, and fell in love with it. However, after I read the book, I've been unable to rewatch the adaptation. Margaret in the book is way different--and superior--to the adaptation version. However, I liked Bess and Higgins in the adaptation better. Armitage as Thornton is swoon-worthy! N&S is definitely one of my favorite books.

Read and watched Wives and Daughters as well. Gaskell died before she completed the novel--just the ending. But she had left notes on how she was planning to finish it. Andrew Davies did not follow her exact plan in his script, but I think he did a really good job.

[sharky]

These days I want to learn so I can make some of the awesome cowls and arm warmers the ladies wear on Outlander.

Oh my gosh, Outlander! Yea, I love the knits on that show. They are apparently not very accurate for that time, but I dont care. Working on those next!

I don't get Stars but they had a free preview weekend so I binged on Outlander. Such a good show!

Edited November 5, 2014 by sharky

[InsertWordHere]

Mr. Knightley is my favorite Austen hero too, Rumsy! Oh, I just love him. He's just so good in a quiet, understated way (except when dealing with feisty matchmaking neighbors) and he just gets Emma, the good and the bad, and that is why they are my favorite Austen couple even though Elizabeth Bennet is my favorite heroine.

 

I also agree that movie Bess and Higgins were well done. I enjoy Brendan Coyle as Higgins and he's that's what made me like his Mr. Bates on Downton initially, but now that character has gotten quite tiresome. Anna Maxwell Martin, although I didn't love her Lizzy in Death Comes to Pemberley, really does a nice job with Bess.

[Rumsy4]

... they are my favorite Austen couple even though Elizabeth Bennet is my favorite heroine.

 

They're my favorite Austen couple as well! Anne Elliot is my favorite heroine, though.

 

I enjoy Brendan Coyle as Higgins and he's that's what made me like his Mr. Bates on Downton initially, but now that character has gotten quite tiresome.

 

OMG, same! Mr. Bates got so tiresome past S1. In fact, I stopped watching Downton after S3 ended (y'all know why). Anyone motivate me to keep watching? 

Edited November 5, 2014 by Rumsy4

[Shanna Marie]

Someday I'm going to catch up on the Outlander books. I read the first soon after it came out. I did the PR for Diana Gabaldon's local booksigning when the second one came out and have an autographed copy (and she's commented on my blog a few times), but I never got around to reading it. I think it had something to do with the beginning starting at some other place and not seeming to pick up at the end of the first book, so I had a bit of a "but it's not a real sequel!" snit about it and put it down. I've been assured that we get back to where it left off, but now it's been so long that I need to reread the first one.

 

I haven't seen North and South. My library has the book but not the DVD of the TV series. I've heard so much about it and probably would like it.

 

I don't think I could pick a favorite Austen. Pride and Prejudice was the first one I read, for a college literature course on satire. I fell madly in love with the snark. I may have been the only one in the class who consistently did the reading, so most class sessions ended up being essentially a conversation between the professor and me while the frat boys and sorority girls slept (that prof is now the dean of liberal arts at that university, and I really need to e-mail him because that class meant a lot to me and to my future work). But I also love Emma. And Sense and Sensibility. I even like Northanger Abbey as a spoof of gothics, since I adore gothics (I even have an Official Gothic Heroine Nightgown, in case I ever need to flee a spooky castle in the middle of the night). I need to re-read Persuasion because I don't think I was quite at the right place in my life to get it the first time I read it, and I suspect I might end up loving it a lot more now. I may have to put that on the list for my next rainy weekend.

[MedievalGirl]

The only two shows I spend any time discussing are Once and Outlander so I may have cast a clean shaven Colin as Roger. Just sayin'

[RadioGirl27]

I don't think I could pick a favorite Austen. Pride and Prejudice was the first one I read, for a college literature course on satire. I fell madly in love with the snark. I may have been the only one in the class who consistently did the reading, so most class sessions ended up being essentially a conversation between the professor and me while the frat boys and sorority girls slept (that prof is now the dean of liberal arts at that university, and I really need to e-mail him because that class meant a lot to me and to my future work). But I also love Emma. And Sense and Sensibility. I even like Northanger Abbey as a spoof of gothics, since I adore gothics (I even have an Official Gothic Heroine Nightgown, in case I ever need to flee a spooky castle in the middle of the night). I need to re-read Persuasion because I don't think I was quite at the right place in my life to get it the first time I read it, and I suspect I might end up loving it a lot more now. I may have to put that on the list for my next rainy weekend.

For me it's very difficult to pick between Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice as my favourite. I love both of them so much. But I also love Sense and Sensibility (the first one I read) and Emma. But, yeah, Mr. Knightley is my favorite Austen hero.

A few months ago I bought a paperback version of Mansfield Park for 3,50 euros, but I haven't read it yet. It's the original version and I'm worried about the nineteenth-century English. On the other hand, I have read Conan Doyle in English, and I didn't have too much problems. It seems I have just decided my next reading ;-)

 

[Souris]

I have the Elizabeth Gaskell DVD collection with Cranford, North and South, and Wives and Daughters. Love them! I would say W&D is the weakest. N&S is great, and I adore Cranford beyond measure. The Cranford sequel didn't come close to living up to the original, alas.

 

Elizabeth Gaskell's house was near where I lived in Manchester, England, but I didn't really know who she was at the time, unfortunately. I just remember seeing the blue plaque.

 

Outlander seems right up my alley, but I hated the first book and didn't even finish it.

[InsertWordHere]

Outlander seems right up my alley, but I hated the first book and didn't even finish it.

I did finish it, but only because I couldn't leave it unfinished. I have no interest in continuing the series. On the surface, it seemed to hit most of my interests: time travel, historical fiction, and an epic romance. While I can see why others like it, it just didn't do anything for me and I had some issues with the plot. I do enjoy the show, however, and will probably continue to watch.

[MedievalGirl]

Diana Galbadon gets better at writing (including plot) as she goes. The first book was an experiment just to see if she could. The 7th book wandered a bit but I'm quite enjoying the 8th. 

But what do I know, the dialog in Jane Austen drives me nuts. I cannot get through her books but I've enjoyed all the movies. 

[Shanna Marie]

I don't know if this is the right thread for this, but I guess it's mostly social and outside the show, so I'll start here and maybe mention in a few other relevant threads if it seems like something to pursue.

 

One of the things my church is doing for Christmas is "adopting" foster kids for Christmas (our pastor is a foster parent) -- providing Christmas gifts for individual kids in foster care. I was thinking about doing one in honor of Emma -- not really saying anything like that to anyone because it sounds a little silly, but that was kind of what inspired me, as she puts an imaginary face on kids in foster care. And then it occurred to me that this might make a neat fandom campaign, to promote finding agencies that are doing this around the country/world and encouraging fans to "adopt an Emma" for the holidays. And then maybe find a way of presenting the number of "Emmas" adopted to Jennifer Morrison as a gift from her fans. Considering the horrors she gets subjected to by "fans" (and I use the term loosely), seeing something positive might be nice, and it would be a good way to get some attention for a faction that doesn't tend to make a lot of noise. The bullies get catered to, so maybe the nice people could be more visible in a way that does some good.

 

But I have no idea how to go about making this sort of thing happen, and I'm not really connected to the fandom away from here.

[Souris]

That is a really nice idea, Shanna Marie! I don't know how to go about doing that, though -- is there any sort of central organization that deals with foster children and orphan, or would it be just going through a bunch of individual orphanages? Does anybody have any ideas about that sort of thing? If the tumblrs got hold of the drive, I think it could take off.

 

ETA: I haven't checked out this charity yet, but here's an interesting one I found: One Simple Wish.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Souris

[Shanna Marie]

That One Simple Wish thing might work. They have a thing where you can set up a wish-granting page to collect donations. Maybe we could do one in honor of "Emma" and publicize that one to do a kind of group donation. After making sure the charity's legit, of course.

 

The one my church is doing is through the local Methodist children's home.

[MedievalGirl]

What a great idea! We're doing a Toys for Tots drive next week. It's not necessarily foster kids but I do not feel inclined to quibble.

[Leia1979]

That's a wonderful idea, Shanna Marie! I think enough of us are part of the various fandom outlets that we could get the word out. 

 

I tried to see if there were other foster-oriented charities and found the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (yes, the Wendy's founder), which has a four star rating on Charity Navigator.

 

By the way, I'm late to the topic, but after all the Jane Austen talk, I watched Mansfield Park on Netflix this weekend with Frances O'Connor (Belle's mom) as Fanny Price. It apparently deviates a bit from the book but was very enjoyable.

[myril]

This reminded me somewhat of the great work Amanda Tapping is doing with the Sanctuary for Kids - they're raising money for different charities, project they're in contact with, to help kids in crisis situations all over the world.

 

One NGO coming to my mind working internationally to help foster kids is SOS Children's Villages. It's not as specific though as something like One Simple Wish, Aside one time money donation though one thing SOS Children Villages offer is the possibility to sponsor a child or village to support the work they do for longer.

[Dani-Ellie]

Completely random, but I just wanted a share a My Coworkers Are Awesome story:

 

There is some road work being done on my route to work, so the town has set up a detour. Which is all well and good except the detour road is just barely wide enough in some places to fit two cars comfortably side by side. Last Friday on my drive in, I pulled close to the edge of the road to get out of the way of a truck ... and hit a bank of rocks or something hidden in the leaves. I was fine, the car was fine ... except for a couple of bent rims.

 

My boss told the shop guys to get me a couple new rims and get them swapped out for me. Come to find out that salvage yards around here don't keep steel rims so unless I wanted to replace them with aluminum, I was SOL. So not only did the shop guys hammer them back into shape for me, they filled my tires, too!

 

So yeah ... my coworkers are awesome. :)

[KAOS Agent]

On the topic of great people, while the dog and I were on our walk today, the snow plow came along. Since we were walking on the side of the highway, the sight of the plow clearing snow off the shoulder directly in my path was not a happy one. I did not want to walk in a snow cloud nor did I want to be doused with snow. However, the driver was not only paying attention, but a very awesome guy because he lifted the plow off the road starting about a couple hundred meters in front of me and didn't put it back down until he'd passed me by. Awesome snow plow driver, I salute you!

[Shanna Marie]

The groundskeepers in the parks and common areas in my neighborhood are really good about doing that sort of thing with mowers -- I'll be on a walking path and see a mower ahead and fear that I'm about to get a face full of grass clippings, but they always turn away from the path and power down as I pass. Then I feel obligated to hurry past so I'm not delaying them too much.

 

No snow yet here, though we might get flurries Sunday night. We don't get enough snow to have plows.

[pezgirl7]

I love North and South too! I discovered the show by accident on YouTube while watching videos of Richard Armitage in Robin Hood. I even made some N&S music videos:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFerEYUJX77XteEylsD4qFg

I just bought this cute little bean shaped necklace on eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/121416523014

It was only 99 cents! I don't know how they can money off of that. It'll probably turn my neck green, but I think it's really cute and the OUAT meaning behind it will be my little secret. :)

[MedievalGirl]

The mirror is about to be smashed in my hometown. Snow and civil unrest are both in the forecast. Enough! People, just behave.  :(

[Crimson Belle]

Wooohoooo! I am rarely speechless, but have no voice after cheering on my boys today. I love college football.

[Camera One]

The mirror is about to be smashed in my hometown. Snow and civil unrest are both in the forecast. 

 

I have a funny feeling we'll all be smashing mirrors on Sunday.  Snow is so evil.

[HoodlumSheep]

Watched "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir" on Friday. The one with Rex Harrison. Perfect movie was perfect. Loved, loved, loved it! It had me yelling at the tv like a crazy person. I was going to be so upset if the ending didn't end like it did. While I was watching it, I wondered if anyone has written CS fanfiction based on it, even though I don't read fanfiction.

[daxx]

Watched "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir" on Friday. The one with Rex Harrison. Perfect movie was perfect. Loved, loved, loved it! It had me yelling at the tv like a crazy person. I was going to be so upset if the ending didn't end like it did. While I was watching it, I wondered if anyone has written CS fanfiction based on it, even though I don't read fanfiction.

I rewatched it just a couple weeks ago. It is one of my favorite movies of all time. I always cry at the end. Yes it did give me CS feels. Not sure anyone has written any fanfic based on it. There is a ghost hook one shot. Starts out funny but then gets so freaking sad just thinking about it makes me tear up. It's on rumsys fic rec on tumblr.

[HoodlumSheep]

I teared up a little too! When the Captain first leaves, and then the ending! I really liked Lucy, and the Captain of course. That "Uncle Neddy" though, creeper alert!

[RadioGirl27]

"The Ghost & Mrs. Muir" is such a perfect movie. I love it so much.

[Souris]

In the Frozen marketing juggernaut "Really?" files: Today at the grocery store I saw blue "Frozen heart" ready-to-bake Pillsbury cookies. Because nothing says fun for the holidays like ... evoking a character about to die?

[Camera One]

Just waiting for the Frozen Marion dolls to reach the shelves in time for Christmas.

[sharky]

Frozen hearts! Sounds yummy!

[MedievalGirl]

As much as my kids and I love Frozen even we make fun of the food products. "Frozen soup. Really. Isn't that contradictory."  :)

[daxx]

I've been toying with the idea of buying an autographed photo of Colin for awhile. I gave in today. But went with one signed by Jmo also. Shrug, sometimes you just have to buy something completely frivolous.

[Alex]

LOL daxx, well done!

Today I passed near Colin's hometown on my way to Dublin. It was there, 15 km (10 miles) from where I was!

[Souris]

So, should we get together the "Adopt an Emma" drive? I would totally be up for it!

 

Completely unrelated, I overheard the most random thing ever over a store's intercom today: "Lee to the office, please, with a rubber mallet." ???

Edited November 23, 2014 by Souris

[MedievalGirl]

Today is my birthday and my home town is burning. It might be time to run off to Storybrook. Gotta be safer evil queens and all.  :(

[Alex]

Happy birthday, MedievalGirl!

Sorry to hear about your hometown :/

You'd need an Elsa...

[ShadowFacts]

Hope things settle down sooner than later there, MedievalGirl.  Stay safe on your birthday and ever after!

[HoodlumSheep]

Happy Birthday, MedievalGirl! Stay safe!

[MedievalGirl]

Where I live now is fine. It is just surreal seeing stuff burning blocks from where I grew up on streets I walked a thousand times. 

Thank you for the birthday wishes. Next year I want a pony. 

[Shanna Marie]

Happy birthday, Medieval Girl! I would say to stay in and stay safe, but since I just burned myself while baking the Thanksgiving pies, I'm not sure that "in" is all that safe.

 

Word to the wise: the burner elements in the oven are hot, and brushing a hand against them is not advised.